Quipus and Witches' Knots
This essay in cultural anthropology provides a comprehensive view of the way primitive people in all parts of the world once utilized knots; mnemonic knots—to record dates, numbers, and cultural traditions; magic knots—to cure diseases, bewitch enemies, and control the forces of nature; and practica...
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| Format: | Online |
| Language: | English |
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University Press of Kansas
2022
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | ONIX_20220715_9780700630837_242 |
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| _version_ | 1869519429673418752 |
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| author | Day, Cyrus Lawrence |
| author_browse | Day, Cyrus Lawrence |
| author_facet | Day, Cyrus Lawrence |
| author_sort | Day, Cyrus Lawrence |
| collection | Directory of Open Access Books |
| description | This essay in cultural anthropology provides a comprehensive view of the way primitive people in all parts of the world once utilized knots; mnemonic knots—to record dates, numbers, and cultural traditions; magic knots—to cure diseases, bewitch enemies, and control the forces of nature; and practical knots—to tie things and hold things together.In his discussion of mnemonic knots, the author analyzes the Peruvian quipus (or knotcalendars and knotrecords) and suggests that the Inca astronomerpriests, known to have been accurate observers of the movements of the planets, may also have been able to predict the dates of lunar eclipses; and he shows how it is possible to manipulate the Ina abacus in accordance with the decimal system.His treatment of magic knots includes instances from Babylonian times to the present, with curious examples of the supernatural power attributed to the Hercules knot (i.e., the square knot) in Egypt, Greece, and Rome. His analysis of a littleknown treatise on surgeons’ slings and nooses, written by the Green physician Heraklas, is the first detailed account of the specific practical knots used by the ancient Greeks and Romans.Quipus and Witches’ Knots, which is abundantly illustrated, often surprises the reader with the unexpected ways in which the once universal dependence of men on knots has left its mark on the language, customs, and thought of modern peoples. |
| format | Online |
| id | doab-20.500.12854ir-88493 |
| institution | Directory of Open Access Books |
| language | eng |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | University Press of Kansas |
| publisherStr | University Press of Kansas |
| record_format | ojs |
| spelling | doab-20.500.12854ir-884932024-04-02T13:58:57Z Quipus and Witches' Knots Day, Cyrus Lawrence Ancient history thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHC Ancient history This essay in cultural anthropology provides a comprehensive view of the way primitive people in all parts of the world once utilized knots; mnemonic knots—to record dates, numbers, and cultural traditions; magic knots—to cure diseases, bewitch enemies, and control the forces of nature; and practical knots—to tie things and hold things together.In his discussion of mnemonic knots, the author analyzes the Peruvian quipus (or knotcalendars and knotrecords) and suggests that the Inca astronomerpriests, known to have been accurate observers of the movements of the planets, may also have been able to predict the dates of lunar eclipses; and he shows how it is possible to manipulate the Ina abacus in accordance with the decimal system.His treatment of magic knots includes instances from Babylonian times to the present, with curious examples of the supernatural power attributed to the Hercules knot (i.e., the square knot) in Egypt, Greece, and Rome. His analysis of a littleknown treatise on surgeons’ slings and nooses, written by the Green physician Heraklas, is the first detailed account of the specific practical knots used by the ancient Greeks and Romans.Quipus and Witches’ Knots, which is abundantly illustrated, often surprises the reader with the unexpected ways in which the once universal dependence of men on knots has left its mark on the language, customs, and thought of modern peoples. 2022-07-15T14:59:21Z 2022-07-15T14:59:21Z 1967 book ONIX_20220715_9780700630837_242 9780700630837 https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/88493 eng image/jpeg Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International https://muse.jhu.edu/book/83997 University Press of Kansas 10.1353/book.83997 10.1353/book.83997 d6fe0229-a31d-4b33-87fc-38cc16caac43 9780700630837 168 open access |
| spellingShingle | Ancient history thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHC Ancient history Day, Cyrus Lawrence Quipus and Witches' Knots |
| title | Quipus and Witches' Knots |
| title_full | Quipus and Witches' Knots |
| title_fullStr | Quipus and Witches' Knots |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quipus and Witches' Knots |
| title_short | Quipus and Witches' Knots |
| title_sort | quipus and witches knots |
| topic | Ancient history thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHC Ancient history |
| topic_facet | Ancient history thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHC Ancient history |
| url | ONIX_20220715_9780700630837_242 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT daycyruslawrence quipusandwitchesknots |