The Weirdest Language Of All Time Is FINALLY Being Deciphered
Joe Scott
22 min, 19 sec
A detailed examination of the ancient Incan khipu, a string-based recording device that encoded information, its historical context, and the ongoing efforts to decipher it.
Summary
- Khipus are ancient recording devices made from knotted strings used by the Incas to encode information, including numerical data and potentially narratives.
- The Incan Empire, which did not have a traditional written language, utilized khipus for administration, record-keeping, and possibly storytelling.
- Modern researchers, including a Harvard student, have made progress in understanding khipus by finding patterns and correlations with Spanish colonial records.
- The loss of knowledge on how to interpret khipus parallels the broader issue of language extinction and the cultural information lost with it.
- Efforts to decipher khipus continue, with the hope of unlocking historical and cultural insights from one of the great ancient civilizations.
Chapter 1
An introduction to the khipu, an ancient Incan device for encoding information.
- A khipu is a device made of knotted strings, which served as a document, computer, and language for the Inca.
- The Incas used khipus to record transactions, census data, and family histories, effectively functioning as an 'everything app'.
- Despite their historical significance, the ability to read khipus has been lost over time.
- Researchers are working to decipher the information encoded in khipus, which could provide new insights into ancient Incan civilization.
Chapter 2
The loss of languages over time and the potential consequences.
- Humanity has lost over half of its languages since 1795, with a current loss rate of nine languages per year.
- Most endangered languages are indigenous, with UNESCO reporting that 6,700 of the 7,000 spoken languages are threatened.
- The loss of a language equates to the loss of culture, history, and a connection to our origins.
- Historical records written in now-extinct languages turn into prehistory when there is no one left who can understand them.
Chapter 3
Exploring the Inca civilization and their use of khipus.
- The Inca civilization was advanced and managed an empire without a traditional written language, instead using khipus.
- Khipus encoded a variety of information and were integral to the administration of the vast Incan Empire.
- The Spanish conquest led to the decline in khipu usage and the eventual loss of knowledge on how to interpret them.
Chapter 4
Recent progress in understanding the khipu system by researchers and students.
- Harvard researchers, including a student named Manny Madrono, have made significant strides in correlating khipu knots to census data.
- Their work suggests that khipus may contain layers of information beyond numerical data, potentially encoding names and social status.
- The discovery of khipus that may represent syllabic writing opens new avenues for understanding the complexity of the khipu system.
Chapter 5
An explanation of the physical structure of a khipu and how to interpret its knots.
- A khipu consists of a main horizontal cord with pendant cords, which may include subsidiary cords.
- Knots on a khipu represent numbers using a decimal system, with different types of knots indicating units, tens, hundreds, and so on.
- Colors, textures, and arrangements of cords may hold additional meanings, but the full extent of encoded information remains unknown.
Chapter 6
The cultural significance of language and writing systems, including khipus.
- The loss of the ability to read ancient languages like that of the khipus results in a loss of historical and cultural knowledge.
- Comparable to the Rosetta Stone's impact on understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs, a similar breakthrough for khipus could unlock Incan history.
- Preservation and decipherment efforts for khipus are crucial for understanding the Incan civilization and preventing their knowledge from being lost.
Chapter 7
Final thoughts on khipus and a message from the video's sponsor.
- The narrator expresses a fascination with khipus and the rich cultural information they may hold.
- A sponsorship message highlights Incogni, a service that helps protect personal information from being sold by data brokers.
- The preservation of languages and cultural artifacts like khipus is contrasted with the modern issues of privacy and data protection.