The purpose of a quipu was to hold and record information in the form of a series of knots and strings. Quipus were used by the ancient civilization of the Incas, primarily for administrative and accounting purposes. They were made up of a main cord, from which other cords with hanging knots were attached. The different colors, types and positions of the knots on the cords represented various types of information, such as numbers, quantities, and events. The quipu allowed the Incas to keep track of their resources, such as crops, livestock, and laborers, as well as to record historical events.
