[BenLurkin]

Hyland studying a war indicator khipu. (Credit: William Hyland)

[samtheman]

Interesting.

The Incas invented String Theory.

[Tax-chick]

Professor Barnhardt of the Maya Research Center, who also studies South America, believes the khipu will be deciphered within the next two decades.

[Magnum44]

anthropologist Sabine Hyland analyzed string color, fiber and twist direction to identify 95 unique signs — enough to constitute a writing system

ITS JUST STRING, DAMMIT!

[Leaning Right]

Just think of it. Had Hillary used the Inca Code of Strings to communicate with her staff instead of that unsecured home server, she’d be president today.

[Tax-chick]

Combinations of color, fiber and twist direction create 95 distinct symbols, a number that’s within the range of logosyllabic writing systems, or those with signs for full words and phonetic sounds.

This is particularly encouraging. The Maya writing system is also logosyllabic.

[blueunicorn6]

I think knots are swear words.

I would tie a knot in my shoes and my Dad would start swearing.

Same with the Drill Sergeants.

[dfwgator]

[Red Badger]

It says:

BE SURE TO DRINK YOUR OVALTINE..................

[ClearCase_guy]

After being deciphered, will we learn anything important?

I’m a frayed knot.

(By the way, I’m surprised Hyland is not wearing archival gloves in the photo. She’s damaging a very old, fragile artifact by touching it.)

[BlueLancer]

These things played a big role in the Clive Cussler book, INCA GOLD.

[bgill]

Just wait until my cats get hold of them. They’ll change history in a minute flat.

[GOPJ]

The exact origin of the Rosary as a prayer is less than clear and subject to debate among scholars. Prayer beads may have their origins in the Eastern religions in India in the 3rd century BC. The use of knotted prayer ropes in Christianity goes back to the Desert Fathers in the 3rd and early 4th centuries.

From link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Rosary