Climate Quipus

This project is inspired by the Incan data-keeping technology "quipu". Quipus traditionally used knots tied into rope as a form of accounting and keeping of data records. To create a quipu, secondary cords are first tied to a primary cord, connecting all of the data. Then knots are tied into the secondary cords to represent numerical data, often a numerical place value.  The projects below showcase two approaches to mimic the spirit of the quipu, a community-constructed approach and an individual participant project for take-home. 

Of note, the climate quipu project offers opportunities to layer two types of data on the same art piece. Colors of fabric represent the the maximum average temperature for a location (in this case, Boulder, CO) and the beads represent the total amount of precipitation that fell that year in Boulder, with the beads representing place value (10s and 1s). 

Two versions of this activity are featured below: the Community Climate Quipu, which is created from a collaboration of many participants at a single event and an individual climate quipu, which is made from pipe cleaners and pony beads and allows participants to take home their creation. 

For more information about quipus: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/snapshot/quipu