The Khipu Field Guide Blog (Page 3)

By Ashok Khosla 23 Nov 2025 3 min read Monte Sierpe

Indigenous Accounting and Exchange at Monte Sierpe (‘Band of Holes’) in the Pisco Valley, Peru

A new article[1] has been published in this month's issue of Antiquity. One of the authors, Manuel Medrano, is a founding member of the KhipuFieldGuide team. It's an

By Ashok Khosla 17 Nov 2025 8 min read Language

Are Khipus a Written Language?

Are Khipus a Written Language? For decades, scholars have debated whether khipus represent a true written language or simply an accounting tool.

By Ashok Khosla, Mackinley FitzPatrick 10 Nov 2025 8 min read AI

Can We Use AI for Khipu Decipherment?

On paper, it would seem like using artificial intelligence (AI) to decipher khipus, the intricate knotted cord recording devices of the Inka Empire, would be a perfect match...