Latest news with #Inca
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Quipu: The Inca's Mysterious Recording Device
Long before Spanish colonization, the indigenous people of Peru kept track of important dates and numbers, and perhaps even stories, using a mysterious coding system of strings and knots called a quipu. When the Spanish invaded, they decided these bundles of strings and knots were idolatrous and pagan, in opposition to the Catholic Church. They burned them, hoping to quell any thought of resistance. Quipu means knot in Quechua, the dominant indigenous language in the region. You might mistake a quipu for a brightly colored necklace or headdress, but it is a communication device. Unlike their Mayan and Aztec counterparts, the Incas had no written language. They used quipu instead. Quipus consist of a series of colored, knotted cords made from cotton, wool, or other animal fibers. The knots and their placement on the cords represented numerical values. In some cases, it carried other information, such as dates or records of events. The use of the quipu dates back to 2500 BCE, long before the Inca Empire emerged. We still don't know how it originated. Deciphering quipus is tough. Its purpose and meaning can change depending on the length of the cord, the number of knots, the color, the way the cords are twisted and woven, the material, and the arrangement. While some historians think they were used almost exclusively to communicate numbers, others believe they were capable of storytelling and poetry. Certainly, the main purpose of the quipu was to track and manage the data of populations, goods, resources, and taxes. It was the administrative tool of the empire. Each knot on the cord had a specific value depending on its position, with different knot types (such as single knots, long knots, or figure-eight knots) representing different values. The Incas used the decimal system and knots to record 1s, 10s, 100s, 1000s, and so on. The colors of the cords could indicate categories like resources, people, or geographical locations. For example, red represented warriors or war, white represented silver, and yellow symbolized gold. The quipus were managed by quipucamayocs, which means "quipu authority." These administrators were the record keepers, accountants, bookkeepers, mathematicians, census takers, and historians of the empire. The smooth running of the empire rested almost entirely on their shoulders. The Incas had a complex road network called the Qhapaq Ñan. All these roads led to the capital of Cusco. Endurance runners called chasquis transported quipus along these roads, resting or passing them to other runners in supply stations called tambos posted every few kilometers. Messengers could quickly carry news of an Incan victory, the death of an emperor, or details of an enemy attack from province to province. After smallpox had killed the ruler Huayna Capac, his sons, Atahualpa and Huascar, battled for the throne. Atahualpa triumphed and killed his brother. To further legitimize his ascension, Atahualpa had all records destroyed. This meant burning quipus that recorded anything to do with his brother. Atahualpa even killed the quipucamayocs. "[It was] a total renewal, what the Incas called a pachakuti or a turning over of time and space," historian Mark Cartwright wrote. Later, a Spanish governor of Peru, Vaca de Castro, tried to find quipucamayocs to teach him about the land. Eventually, he came across two who had survived the purge. "They found them wandering in the mountains, terrorized by the tyrants of the past," according to historian John A. Yeakel. Though the Spanish destroyed many quipus, some chose to study them. Inca Garcilaso de la Vega was the son of a conquistador and an Incan prince, and acted as an intermediary between the two peoples. He learned about the quipu as part of his upbringing and wrote extensively about them: When my father's Indians came to town on Midsummer's Day to pay their tribute, they brought me the quipus; and the curacas [local leaders] asked my mother to take note of their stories, for they mistrusted the Spaniards, and feared that they would not understand them. I was able to reassure them by re-reading what I had noted down under their dictation. Likewise, a rogue Jesuit priest named Blas Valera advocated for learning from the quipus. Also half Spanish and half Inca, Valera proclaimed that the Incas were the real rulers of Peru. He died under house arrest in 1597. In 2015, anthropologist Sabine Hyland got a call from the remote Andean village of San Juan de Collata. This little village held some of the last remaining quipus. Villagers granted Hyland access to two quipus from the 18th century. They told her that for years, guarding the quipus was a coming-of-age ritual for local adolescent boys. After seeing one of Hyland's documentaries, the village elders had reached out, hoping she would visit. "Over the next couple days, we would learn that these multicolored quipus, each of which is just over two feet long, were narrative epistles created by local chiefs during a time of war in the 18th century," Hyland wrote. The elders recounted the story of a failed rebellion against the Spanish. A leader, betrayed by his associates, was imprisoned and eventually executed. He had used the quipu to tell his countrymen that he was the ruling Inca Emperor. Not far from the village of San Juan de Collata, Hyland was invited by a local schoolteacher to examine a hybrid quipu. The hybrid was set on a wooden board containing a ledger of names and multicolored quipu threads. "The board bears the names of villagers, while the quipu cord associated with each name indicates the contribution of labor and/or goods that the individual was expected to provide in a community ceremony," Hyland wrote. Much to Hyland's astonishment, quipus were used in the village until the 1940s for communal, administrative, and record-keeping purposes.
Daily Mirror
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Dan Snow comes face to face with an Inca ‘ice mummy': "Nothing can prepare you"
TV historian Dan Snow goes to the ancient site of Machu Picchu in Peru where he makes some exciting discoveries Dan Snow comes face to face with an Inca 'ice mummy' in this latest travel show, Dan Snow & The Lost City, on 5 tonight (Thursday 5th June) at 9pm. The 'mummy' is a young girl who was frozen in time when she was sacrificed to the mountain Gods at Machu Picchu in Peru around 600 years ago. But now, using new archaeology and recently discovered ancient records, a picture can be pieced together of life and death in this extraordinary place. In this 90-minute special, Dan explores the unfolding story of these amazing finds. On his journey to the incredible UNESCO heritage site of Machu Picchu, Dan climbs into the mountains on the trail of the incredible lost city of the Incas. The magical metropolis perched high amongst the clouds, was rediscovered, overgrown by jungle, over 100 years ago. Dan says: 'Machu Picchu is the most overwhelming location for a historical site. Nothing can prepare you for arriving there - it's like a great big Coluseum. It is truly like a lost city in the jungle. It's the thing you dream about when you're a little kid and it's right there, sitting high up in the Andes.' He adds: 'I was lucky enough to go when they were doing some scientific research on an Inca Ice Mummy. It turned out to be the body of a 12-year-old Incan girl, and she was perfectly preserved in the ice. I had to hold it for a minute and I ended up with her in my arms and she's the age of my daughter. It was one of the most overwhelming things.' *Dan Snow and the Lost City is airing on 5 tonight at 9pm There's plenty more on TV tonight - here's the best of the rest.. THE BRITISH SOAP AWARDS 2025, ITV1, 8pm Looking back on 12 months of murder, make ups, break ups, mystery and mayhem, this is the night to celebrate the nation's best loved soap operas. Jane McDonald hosts the glam affair at The Hackney Empire, London, where the four biggest soaps - Corrie, Enders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks, battle it out for awards. It's been a big year, in which Gail Platt left the cobbles after 50 years, the Albert Square residents celebrated 40 years on air, a dramatic limo crash shocked Emmerdale fans and Hollyoaks jumped a year into the future with explosive twists and turns. The Platts, Slaters, Dingles and Osbornes will be vying for Best Family, while Jack P. Shepherd (David), Patsy Palmer (Bianca), Nicola Wheeler (Nicola) and Nicole Barber-Lane (Myra) are all hoping to win Best Comedy Performance. Other gongs up for grabs include Best Storyline, Villain of the Year, Scene of the Year and of course Best British Soap. Jane says: 'I can't wait to get my glittery frock on.' AMBULANCE, BBC1, 9pm More stories of heroism from the frontlines as we follow ambulance workers working to save lives. It's a tonic for the soul. In this episode call handlers are frustrated as they deal with a sexually abusive caller who has already rung 999 seven times in the past hour. It's proving difficult to trace his calls. A call comes in for a patient who has been stabbed in the chest in Croydon. Paramedics Phillipa and James are immediately dispatched alongside another ambulance, police, an incident response officer and London's air ambulance, HEMS. Working in Wimbledon, crewmates Astrid and Lydia are dispatched to an 85-year-old woman who has broken her ankle after falling down the stairs. Arriving on the scene, they find Enid lying on the floor in extreme pain, with her ankle bone exposed. Enid's concerned neighbours are at a loss for what to do as the elderly lady reveals she has never felt the need for an ambulance before. EMMERDALE, ITV1, 7pm Finally, the grim discovery of the body in the lake is revealed to be Nate's. Cain and Moira are blindsided when they find out. When Cain hears that the body is so decomposed that he can't even visit his son, he starts to experience flashbacks to their last interaction. Cain is also now in the frame due to the fight he had with Nate on the day he died. He's furious as the police question him. Chas and Tracy become suspicious. EASTENDERS, BBC1, 7.30pm Kat and Alfie prepare to celebrate their joint stag and hen party. Kat is thrilled when Kim reveals the theme of the 'hag', but her happiness is short-lived when she makes a worrying discovery on the family computer. At The Vic, the karaoke party is a flop and Elaine is furious when Kim reveals that Cindy's relaunch party is a success. Elaine decides to attend the party to annoy Cindy. Tommy is furious when Kat reveals that Amy is babysitting.
Daily Mirror
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Dan Snow 'overwhelmed' finding remains of girl, 12 - 'She was my daughter's age'
Dan Snow explores the ruins of Machu Picchu in a compelling new show for 5. But the father-of-three was struck when he discovered the mummified remains of a young girl. Scaling Machu Picchu, Dan Snow 's latest adventure is anything but ordinary. But he was rattled by his encounter with a 600-year-old Inca mummy. The historian and presenter, 46, fronts Machu Picchu: The Discovery with Dan Snow on Channel 5, diving deep into the secrets of the ancient Peruvian city lost to the jungle for centuries. 'It is the most splendid and overwhelming location for a historical site. Nothing can prepare you for arriving there,' he says, 'I'd never visited before and it was one of my bucket list places. I was so desperate to do it.' Alongside the stunning scenery came cultural revelations. 'The Incas were very different,' he says, 'To understand their belief systems, you have to turn everything you understand from the West on its head. They used to keep their Emperors mummified, bringing them out on special occasions. Death wasn't the end for them. That was difficult because it's so different.' He adds: "Seeing the way the landscape is kind of organised – like a great big Coliseum. Such beautiful mountains, river valleys and then stunning buildings. All built with these extraordinary, exquisite stonemasonry techniques of the Inca. It is truly like a lost city in the jungle. It's the thing you dream about when you're a little kid." But one of the most striking of the show moments came when Dan encountered the frozen remains of a 12-year-old-girl, sacrificed to the mountain gods. 'She was perfectly preserved in ice,' he says, 'I had to hold her for a minute. She was my daughter's age. It was one of the most overwhelming things.' Dan has been married to criminologist and philanthropist Lady Edwina Louise Grosvenor since November 2010. Edwina is the second daughter of the 6th Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor. She and Dan lead a happy family life in the New Forest with their three children. Hidden from Spanish invaders and swallowed by rainforest, Machu Picchu remained untouched for centuries. 'It was just so inaccessible," says Dan. The Spanish never managed to get to it. Everything grows so fast that it was abandoned: The Spanish never found it, and before you know it the jungle had just taken over.' But reaching it wasn't easy. 'It was a really challenging place to film. Carrying all our equipment over these mountain paths,' he says, 'At one stage, we were swinging the camera, and I almost fell off into the valley below. It was exhausting.' The altitude only made things worse. 'People were having nosebleeds as we were trying to operate equipment,' Dan adds. 'Even in Cusco, one of the highest cities on Earth. It was one of the more challenging places I have had to operate for sure.' Now back from his visit, Dan's wanderlust is far from cured. 'I'd love to visit Easter Island," he says, 'There are Roman ruins in North Africa, even in China! The great happiness is that there's always opportunities.'
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
People Are Laughing At The USA (And Canada, Too) In This "Mr. World" Costume Pageant
I am overjoyed today to inform you that there is an annual(ish) "Mr. World" competition, in which handsome men from around the world compete in a pageant. Part of that pageant is a costume show, where the contestants dress in a costume that represents their country's culture and identity. For example, here's Bolivia's contestant from the 2024 pageant, in his costume inspired by Bolivian folk dance: And here's Peru's national costume, inspired by Inca nobility: And here's Venezuela's costume, inspired by the country's war for independence from Spain: Even though these costumes were from the 2024 competition (which took place six months ago), the video has been making the rounds, because... well, here's the United States' costume: Related: 26 People Who Had Overwhelming Gut Instincts They Couldn't Were Right Yeah, that's just a Captain America costume. The contestant did a little flip and a superhero landing, though! Related: 51 People Who Quickly Discovered Why Their Hilariously Clueless Partner Was Single Before Meeting Them Now, I don't want to act like there weren't other countries that maybe phoned it in a little. Here's Canada, in head-to-toe denim, aka a "Canadian tuxedo": People also felt that France's costume was perhaps a little too on the nose: Americans on Reddit had a lot of thoughts about the USA's costume choice: Now, let's not forget that it's a Captain America costume that they BEDAZZLED, so it's bespoke: There were a lot of suggestions on what the USA could have done instead: But hey, at least the Canadians seem happy: Anyway, I'm really hoping there's a 2025 competition this year. Bye! Also in Internet Finds: 15 Facebook Marketplace Items You'll Wish, From The Depths Of Your Soul, You Could Unsee Also in Internet Finds: People Are Confessing Their Absolute Pettiest "Revenge Served Cold" Stories, And It's Deliciously Entertaining Also in Internet Finds: 19 Things Society Glorifies That Are Actually Straight-Up Terrible, And We Need To Stop Pretending Otherwise
Buzz Feed
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
The USA's Costume In This Men's Pageant Is Sooo Fitting
I am overjoyed today to inform you that there is an annual(ish) "Mr. World" competition, in which handsome men from around the world compete in a pageant. Part of that pageant is a costume show, where the contestants dress in a costume that represents their country's culture and identity. For example, here's Bolivia's contestant from the 2024 pageant, in his costume inspired by Bolivian folk dance: And here's Peru's national costume, inspired by Inca nobility: And here's Venezuela's costume, inspired by the country's war for independence from Spain: Even though these costumes were from the 2024 competition (which took place six months ago), the video has been making the rounds, because... well, here's the United States' costume: Yeah, that's just a Captain America costume. The contestant did a little flip and a superhero landing, though! Now, I don't want to act like there weren't other countries that maybe phoned it in a little. Here's Canada, in head-to-toe denim, aka a "Canadian tuxedo": People also felt that France's costume was perhaps a little too on the nose: Americans on Reddit had a lot of thoughts about the USA's costume choice: Now, let's not forget that it's a Captain America costume that they BEDAZZLED, so it's bespoke: There were a lot of suggestions on what the USA could have done instead: But hey, at least the Canadians seem happy: Anyway, I'm really hoping there's a 2025 competition this year. Bye!
