How were quipu used for recordkeeping in Inca society?

In Inca society, the quipu served as a vital accounting and recordkeeping apparatus. It consisted of a primary textile cord with various pendant cords, which could also have smaller subsidiary cords attached.12

Function and Meaning

The quipu functioned through a sophisticated system of knots and physical characteristics:
* Numeric Data: The type of knot and its position relative to the primary cord represented specific numeric values based on a decimal system. For instance, figure-8 knots represented 1, long knots (with 2–9 wraps) represented 2–9, and simple knots represented powers of 10.1
* Qualitative Factors: Beyond knots, the meaning was influenced by the cord's color, composition, length, ply, and the spacing between cords.1
* Recordkeeping: Quipus were used to track quantitative information, such as counts of men, women, domestic animals, and commodities like cloth, food, and household items. They were also used for historical recording, including dynastic history and tracking labor obligations under the mit'a system.324

Quipus were maintained by professional accountants and officials at every level of the Inca bureaucracy, from the capital of Cuzco to regional commanders and village headmen.13