Technical Marvels, Part 3: The Yupana
The Yupana, an Inca counting board, was used with quipus for calculations. Made of wood, stone, or clay, it had compartments for pebbles/seeds. Found in 1869, it reflects Inca math practices.
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The Yupana was a mysterious counting board used by the Incas alongside knotted cords called quipus for numerical calculations. While few Yupanas have survived, they were made of wood, stone, or clay and featured compartments on different levels for calculations using pebbles or seeds. The first Yupana was found in 1869 in Ecuador, and they may have served as architectural models besides being calculating devices. The Incas likely used the decimal place-value system with knowledge of zero and possibly the Fibonacci sequence. Various hypotheses exist about how the Incas operated the Yupana, with suggestions for its use in basic arithmetic operations. Several Yupanas are housed in museums worldwide, including examples in Lima, New York, Milan, and Paris. The Yupana remains a fascinating artifact that sheds light on the mathematical practices of the Inca civilization.
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4 commentsI wonder why this article is so convinced they are abacuses.
For all we know these 'devices' were ancient board games who's sole purpose was entertainment!?
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