Above Illustration: The quipu http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Inca_Quipu.jpg
Neither the Incas nor any other South American cultures had writing- -in any form.
Instead the Incas used a mnemonic device (a learning technique that aids information retention. Mnemonics aim to translate information into a form that the brain can retain better than its original form) called quipu to convey information. Through them, history was selected and manipulated by the Inca class. The accomplishments of whole generations of conquered tribes were obliterated so that the Inca claim of having founded the great Andean civilisation could not be contradicted.
Quipu
The Quipu ( from the Quechua word for knot) was a series of strings with knots. It consisted of a main cord from which dangled a series of smaller coloured strings into which knots were tied.. The number of knots, the size of the knots, and the distance between knots conveyed meaning to the Inca, The quipus were accompanied by a verbal comment without which the meaning of what each quipu conveyed would have been unintelligible. Quipu were used as official records eg population counts and to relay folk stories
A decimal count was used, there even being a symbol for zero (an empty space).
Only specially trained officials knew how to use quipus.
Quipu-Camayocs (Rememberers)
The record keepers who knew the theme of each quipu were called quipu- camayocs. Each governor of a province had many such quipu-camayocs, who kept an accurate account of population, tribute, and soldiers.
The Spanish conquerors, the conquistadors, were said to have much admired the quipu system.