# Who made and read khipus? · Inka khipus: the knotted-cord records > Three answers have been proposed. Khipu making extended beyond the elite to commoners and local communities. leads, with evidence 2 for: partly supported… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/khipu/questions/QST0D4V80BC5DXR/who-made-and-read-khipus Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:57:48+00:00 --- **0** # Who made and read khipus? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·3 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: khipu making extended beyond the elite to commoners and local communities** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. Khipu making extended beyond the elite to commoners and local communities. leads, with evidence 2 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible. ## Why it matters If khipus were made by commoners as well as state specialists, they were a more widespread literacy than the chronicles suggest, which changes what the corpus is a sample of⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4V7S8T72DF/stable-isotope-evidence-for-the-participation-of-commoners). ## Answers 3 [**Khipu making extended beyond the elite to commoners and local communities.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/khipu/answers/ANS0D4V86EP26N3/khipu-making-extended-beyond-the-elite-to-commoners-and) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 2 for Most likely [**Khipus were made and read by a class of male bureaucratic specialists (khipukamayuq).** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/khipu/answers/ANS0D4V85Z22BAX/khipus-were-made-and-read-by-a-class-of-male-bureaucratic) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 1 against Most likely [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/khipu/answers/ANS0D4V87644ARY/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible ## History 1. 2021[Hyland et al.: village communities used khipu boards in ritual into the 1950s.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4V7RS67HNW/khipus-khipu-boards-and-sacred-texts-toward-a-philology-of)For: Khipu making extended beyond the elite to commoners and local communities. 1. 2025[Hyland et al. puts forward: khipus were made and read by a class of male bureaucratic specialists (khipukamayuq).](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4V7S8T72DF/stable-isotope-evidence-for-the-participation-of-commoners) 1. 2025[Hyland et al. puts forward: khipu making extended beyond the elite to commoners and local communities.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4V7S8T72DF/stable-isotope-evidence-for-the-participation-of-commoners) 1. 2025[Hyland et al.: the hair cord of KH0631 shows a diet typical of low-ranking commoners.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4V7S8T72DF/stable-isotope-evidence-for-the-participation-of-commoners)Against: Khipus were made and read by a class of male bureaucratic specialists (khipukamayuq). 1. 2025[Hyland et al.: kH0631, an Inka-period khipu with a human-hair primary cord, was made by someone with a commoner's diet.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4V7S8T72DF/stable-isotope-evidence-for-the-participation-of-commoners)For: Khipu making extended beyond the elite to commoners and local communities. 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/khipu/questions/QST0D4V80BC5DXR/who-made-and-read-khipus%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/khipu/questions/QST0D4V80BC5DXR/who-made-and-read-khipus%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/khipu/questions/QST0D4V80BC5DXR/who-made-and-read-khipus%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/khipu/questions/QST0D4V80BC5DXR/who-made-and-read-khipus%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/khipu/questions/QST0D4V80BC5DXR/who-made-and-read-khipus%23add-source) Where it fits Inka khipus: the knotted-cord records **Who made and read khipus?** Key question · you're here [ Ask a question under this one ]