MM001

Wide View Khipu Notes Exist - See Below

Original Author: Manuel Medrano Museum: Landesmuseum Hannover Museum Number: Grü-209 Provenance: Huacho Region: Huacho?

Total Number of Cords: 306 Number of Ascher Cord Colors: 23 Benford Match: 0.727 Similar Khipu:  Previous  Next Datafile: MM001

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Khipu Notes

Museum Notes

Museum Description: Object on long-term loan from Werner Grünevald (German sugar magnate, spent two decades living in Peru), first lent to the museum in April, 2017 by Grünevald (still alive as of August '18) after initial restoration of the khipu by the Landesmuseum Hannover in March, 2017. The object is Grünevald's only khipu (as he primarily collected ceramics and textiles) and has never before been lent to an institution. He would like to place it in an institution that will take long-term care of the artifact, meaning that the long-term loan is likely to convert to a donation upon Grünevald's death. The khipu was recently mounted by Jan Hoffman (head conservator) with plans to hang the khipu in a frame in the permanent exhibition next to the Gretzer khipus (AS10-AS13).
Provenance: Bought from Gerente del Banco in Chocope in 1969. The merchant attributed the khipu to Huacho and referred to it as "Chancay/Inka."

Primary Cord

Fiber: CN - Cotton (confirmed by the Landesmuseum Hannover using chemical sourcing methods, but only for a select sample of cords)

Cord Notes:

93: Color change from YB to PB occurs during last turn of 6L long knot (see photo)
137: Loop begins after cord 137, color PK, ties back to primary cord after pendant 141 (see photo)
144: Incomplete unwraveled former mottled cord (see photo)
183/184: Loop pendants which reaches length of approx. 4.0cm before turning back and re-attaching to primary cord
239s1: Subsidiary broken at attachment to pendant 239
247: Attachment knot unknown because pendant 247 is attached under pendant 246, which makes the attachment ambiguous (unclear if attached to primary cord or if 247 is actually a subsidiary to 246, but I think it's more likely a pendent than a subsidiary)
All khipus I have studied are currently designated "MM", following convention in the field (and until a more suitable replacement convention is agreed upon)
(Manuel Medrano)