Incan Counting System Decoded?

Discovery News ^ | Feb 3 2004 | By Rossella Lorenzi

[antidisestablishment]

"How would one explain the many statements in the Spanish chronicles, both those written by Spaniards and by literate Andeans, who stated quite straightforwardly that the Inca used a base 10 counting system? This system is also attested in a mountain of early colonial documents that describe how the Inca organized their administrative system according to a base 10 counting system."

It couldn't be that the Spaniards might have understood the system incorrectly. After all, we know how interested they were in cultural understanding:

the Inca ruled the largest empire on Earth by the time their last emperor, Atahualpa, was garroted by Spanish conquistadors in 1533.

Brilliant mathematicians those conquistadors! Outsiders bring a fresh perspective to "intractable" issues. Never look to experts for novel ideas.

[NotQuiteCricket]

Nope. Actually, I think it was cool. I should have used a /sarcasm tag, huh?

[azhenfud]

Don't bother - I think she's newly illegally immigrized.

[fishtank]

36-24-36

[Oberon]

Are you so closed to new ideas?

You have to imagine the [sarcasm] tags, then read it again. The comment is really an indictment of academia.

[elli1]

Cricket was sarcastically referring to the uppity ''scholar'', Gary Urton, professor of Precolumbian studies at Harvard University, an authority on khipu research,....who was obviously miffed that some lowlife dared to solve the problem in 40 minutes from a freaking picture in a book. Not only was it obvious that Cricket had read the article, but it was apparent that Cricket has a really good ear for tone.

(Kuddoes, Cricket!)

[Restorer]

Where do you suppose we got our base-12 system?

Sumeria. Also the 60 minute hour and the 360 degree circle.

And how well-developed could their civilization have been when they didn't know about wheels?

Wheels really don't have a great deal of utility without draft animals to pull a cart. Apparently, the wheel in all cultures was first used for chariots, carts or wagons. Some of its other uses, such as the wheelbarrow that is actually useful by man-power, didn't come along till thousands of years later. In western Europe the wheelbarrow wasn't used till the middle ages.

[G.Mason]

"The Inca invented a powerful counting system that could be used to make complex calculations without the tiniest mistake ....... "

Well it couldn't have been very reliable.

Either that or they never divided 200 Spaniards into the Incan population and came up with extinction.

[JohnnyZ]

Gary Urton, professor of Precolumbian studies at Harvard University, an authority on khipu research, told Discovery News: "The fact that an explanation can be constructed for one or even several yupana that conforms to this theory of a base 40 numbering system amongst the Incas is of some modest interest.

Always nice to see my boy Gary being quoted. Good guy. I gave a talk on Incan mathematics once. They did some pretty complex stuff, nobody really knows how. I'd have to read more about this theory to form an opinion.

[Don Joe]

What base 12 system?

They unearthed an Incan PDP-8. :)

(Yes, yes, I'm taking certain artistic liberties. Hey, it's a joke, man, a joke.)

[JohnnyZ]

Cricket was sarcastically referring to the uppity ''scholar'', Gary Urton, professor of Precolumbian studies at Harvard University, an authority on khipu research

Personally, I got the sarcasm, but Gary Urton is a highly intelligent, open-minded individual. He is indeed a scholar and has studied khipus, ethnomathematics, et al in great depth. He was was also awarded a MacArthur "genius" grant.

And he is most certainly NOT uppity! He's -- well, he's very laid back, let's just say.

[Don Joe]

The folks in the Americas didn't know what to do with it, in part probably because they didn't have draft animals.

I wonder why they didn't do what the scandinavians did with reindeer, and use deer for draft animals?

[Elsie]

12 times 12 = 1 gross

Madonna plus Brittany = ANOTHER gross!

[Vermont Lt]

Gotta love the Conquistadors:

"yeah, great counting system...can you lift your hair off your shoulders for a moment. Yeah, yeah....this is a Spanish necklance...."

[Elsie]

Big Indian or

Little Indian???

[Elsie]

Which came first?

Smooth roads or wheels??

---

Seems to me that BOTH have to be in place before much good can come from them.

[expatpat]

Excellent point, EPU.

[Don Joe]

Big Indian or

Little Indian???

Little-Indian. They were Intelligent, after all.

[Vermont Lt]

Perhaps this is the counting system that Liberman and Dean use that tells them they still have a chance in hell of getting the nomination.

Kind of like coutning in Dog Years.....

[Erasmus]

In western Europe the wheelbarrow wasn't used till the middle ages.

Throw out yer dead!

Throw out yer dead!