Scientists untangle Inca number-strings (Kept Track of Tax Payments)

news@nature.com ^ | 11 August 2005 | Andreas von Bubnoff

[nickcarraway]

A khipu records numbers through knots in the strings. Both the position and type of the knot sets its value.

[nickcarraway]

Ping

If they had taxes, I am awaiting the discovery of texts by the Incan Walter Williams, explaining why they should do away with taxes.

[Army Air Corps]

Tax records fashioned like a scourge...how fitting.

[benjaminjjones]

So if they "slipped a knot" is that evidence of early tax cheats?

[Jeff Chandler]

If they didn't pay they could whip 'em with it.

[Army Air Corps]

That is what I call a penalty!

[Jeff Chandler]

That is what I call a penalty!

With interest!

[Army Air Corps]

Although, there may have been some early S&M types who deliberatly withheld their taxes...

[Jeff Chandler]

early S&M types

What would be the Inca equivalent of "Junior Senator from Massachusetts"?

[Army Air Corps]

That is gut-bustingly hillarious!

[Jeff Chandler]

Bawney is an easy target.

[ApplegateRanch]

Or, they could be tallies kept by Temple Prostitutes priestesses, to keep track of how many furrows any particular farmer would have fertilized by the gods.

From that, taxes owed cold be calculated

[rod1]

Looks like a flat tax to me.

[Jabba the Nutt]

And I thought Red Tape was bad.

[grjr21]

"The challenging thing is that, while we can read these numerical values that are knotted onto the strings, we don't know what they refer to,"

My guess is that they refer to what States have the best welfare benefits

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Nick. Not gonna ping it, we've had a couple of similar topics. I'd not be surprised if Inca accounting existed for taxes of some kind.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

It is believed that the beginnings of Hieroglyphic writing in Egypt began as a means to record tribute sent by the conquered tribes.

We may just own literacy to the tax man. How depressing.

[Old Professer]

I guess that explains their extinction.

[SunkenCiv]

And we owe geometry to the need to redraw property lines after floods receded, and to figure out land area in order to properly tax agricultural production (that is, to tax the farmer). Here's the three FR topics previously added:

Did ancient Inca communicate through knots?
Associated Press | August 11, 2005 | August 11, 2005
Posted on 08/11/2005 1:18:17 PM PDT by wallcrawlr
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1461523/posts

Professor Works To Unravel Mysteries Of Khipu: Colored,
Knotted Strings Used By The Ancient Incas
Science Daily | 1-5-2004 | University At Buffalo
Posted on 01/05/2004 9:13:02 AM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1051888/posts

The Monolith of Pokotia
(Sumerian Language etched on Ancient Mesopotamian Items)!
Bernardo Biadós Yacovazzo & Freddy Arce
FR Post 10-19-2002 | Bernardo Biadós Yacovazzo & Freddy Arce
Posted on 10/19/2002 10:28:48 AM PDT by vannrox
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/772170/posts

[SunkenCiv]

whoops, three more:

Inca May Have Used Knot Computer Code To Bind Empire
Independent (UK) | 6-23-2003 | Steve Conner
Posted on 06/22/2003 8:08:43 PM PDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/933834/posts

Incan Counting System Decoded?
Discovery News | 1-30-2004 | Rossella Lorenzi
Posted on 01/30/2004 8:10:33 AM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1068345/posts

Incan Counting System Decoded?
Discovery News | Feb 3 2004 | By Rossella Lorenzi
Posted on 02/03/2004 6:04:59 AM PST by vannrox
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1070601/posts