AS115/KH0129

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Khipu Notes Exist - See Below

Original Author: Marcia & Robert Ascher
Museum: Museum für Völkerkunde, Berlin
Museum Number: VA47089
Provenance: Unknown
Region: Ica
Total Number of Cords: 55
Number of Ascher Cord Colors: 10
Benford Match: 0.664
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Datafile: AS115

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Khipu Notes

Ascher Databook Notes:
  1. This is one of several khipus acquired by the Museum in 1907 with provenance Ica. For a list of them, see UR1100.
  2. By spacing, the khipu is separated into 7 groups of 7 pendants each (with the exception of the last group which has only 6 pendants). Each group has a top cord which is attached to the main cord j ust af ter the third (groups 2, 3, 7) or fourth (groups 1, 4, 5, 6) pendant.
  3. In groups 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, all pendants in a group are the same color.
  4. Each top cord differs in color from the pendants of the associated group. All of the top cords are zero-valued (or blank).
  5. In all groups where it exists, the 7th pendant is zero-valued (or blank). The non-zero values are restricted to 546-663 in group 1 and to 134-356 in the other 6 groups.
  6. With a discrepancy of 1, the sum of the values in the 4th position in each group equals the sum of the values in the 5th positions. Also, each has a subsum of 1000. That is:
    \[ \sum\limits_{i=1}^3 P_{i4} = \sum\limits_{i=4}^7 P_{i5} = 1000 \]
    \[ \sum\limits_{i=1}^7 P_{i4} = \sum\limits_{i=1}^7 P_{i5} \]
  7. The sums of the last 3 values in groups 2 and 3 are equal:
    \[ \sum\limits_{j=4}^7 P_{2j} = \sum\limits_{j=4}^7 P_{3j} \]

Primary Cord Notes:
Main cord positions were extrapolated for all groups, as only initial positions of "group/top cord/group/space" clusters were recorded.