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What were the quipucamayocs?

Quick Answer

Quipucamayocs were Inca specialists who managed quipus, the knotted-cord record system. They were essential to Inca administration and accounting.

The Full Story

Quipucamayocs were trained record-keepers in the Inca Empire who used quipus to track tribute, labor obligations, storehouse inventories, and census data. They worked for the state and helped keep the empire running across the Andes. Because the Inca empire had no alphabetic writing system for administrative use, these specialists were vital. Their work shows how sophisticated non-written record systems could be in large states.

Key Facts

1.Worked in the Inca Empire
2.Managed knotted-cord quipus
3.Recorded tribute, labor, and inventories

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"The Inca officials who read knots instead of pages"

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