An Inca Fiber Khipu (Quipu), Inca Empire, ca. 1325 - 1550 CE Vessels An exceptionally large ceremonial platter

An exceptionally large ceremonial platter hand-carved from dense grey basalt

Provenance: Private NYC

5 cm (10 1/2 inches)Provenance: Private NY collection

These tiny gems were usually made in blue glass and unlike most glass of the period

was part of the 1976 Metropolitan Museum of Art's Treasures of Tutankhamun Exhibit

An Inca Fiber Khipu (Quipu), Inca Empire, ca. 1325 - 1550 CE Vessels An exceptionally large ceremonial platterThis khipu consists of seven groups of finely woven pendant cords suspended from a thicker primary cord, each tied with a series of carefully structured knots. The cords are executed in alternating shades of tan and brown, with variations in fiber twist, thickness, and knot placement that form the basis of the khipus encoded information. Khipus (also spelled Quipu; Quechua for knot), often referred to as talking knots, were sophisticated recording