The Inka Empire, the largest in the pre-Columbian Americas, is renowned for its impressive engineering feats, including an extensive road network and monumental architecture. Although the Inkas did not have a traditional writing system, they recorded information using a unique method: khipus. These knotted cords were essential tools for communication and record-keeping.
In this video, Mackinley FitzPatrick, a 2025 Harvard Horizons Scholar and PhD candidate in anthropology, highlights the role of khipus in Inka administration and in uncovering a hidden Andean past. He explains how these knotted objects offer a powerful Indigenous perspective on Andean history—one distinct from narratives provided by Europeans.
For a deeper exploration of Mackinley’s work on khipus and their encoding of Andean social structure, check out his latest article published in Ethnohistory.
Don't miss Mackinley at this year's Harvard Horizons Symposium in Sanders Theatre on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. The event is free and open to the public.
