# The system is better described as non-positional and without a concept of zero, closer to other ancient…

> Still possible: The system is better described as non-positional and without a concept of zero, closer to other ancient numeral systems.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/khipu/answers/ANS0D4V857M58VY/the-system-is-better-described-as-non-positional-and-without  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

---

[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[Inka khipus: the knotted-cord records](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/khipu)[Is the khipu number system positional with a zero, or non-positional?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/khipu/questions/QST0D4V803J64R8/is-the-khipu-number-system-positional-with-a-zero-or-non)Answer

Answer · Inka khipus: the knotted-cord records

# The system is better described as non-positional and without a concept of zero, closer to other ancient…

The system is better described as non-positional and without a concept of zero, closer to other ancient numeral systems.

**Still possible** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Still possible** Its tests haven't settled it: one piece of evidence for, none against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- Contemporary computing tools such as the yupana operate without place value.

## What would rule it out

- Colonial or archaeological evidence shows a marked zero or explicit place-value operations.

## Evidence 1 for · none against

[A reanalysis of Guamán Poma's 1615 yupana drawing reads it as a non-positional multiplication method.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/khipu/evidence/EVD0D4V85FE52FX/a-reanalysis-of-guaman-pomas-1615-yupana-drawing-reads-it-as)

Suggestive

FOR

## The questions it answers

[Is the khipu number system positional with a zero, or non-positional?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/khipu/questions/QST0D4V803J64R8/is-the-khipu-number-system-positional-with-a-zero-or-non)

Most likelyKhipu numbers are base-ten positional, with an empty position standing for zero

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). The system is better described as non-positional and without a concept of zero, closer to other ancient… [Answer ANS0D4V857M58VY]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D4V857M58VY
```

Key

**ANS** 0D4V857M58VY

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

1

Added by

[apollo](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)

The record

Every record is open data. Take this one as JSON, with its links and its history.

[JSON](https://mysteriesdept.com/api/v1/records/ANS0D4V857M58VY)