Art History M.A. student Alice Farinhas recently participated in the Graduate Student Museum Study Day at Dumbarton Oaks, an event that brought together leading scholars and graduate students to delve into the mysteries of quipus—ancient Andean recording devices made of knotted strings. For Alice, the experience was both intellectually stimulating and deeply relevant to her research on contemporary artist Cecilia Vicuña.
Alice’s decision to apply stemmed from her independent study on the connection between quipus and Vicuña’s work. “I wanted to understand the actual context of quipus and demystify some of the assumptions surrounding them,” she explained. The study day offered a rare opportunity to learn from experts such as Tom Cummins, Juan Antonio Murro, and Jeffrey Splitstoser, whose research spans the Inca Empire and pre-Inca Wari civilizations. The program featured four lectures, including presentations by two Ph.D. candidates, and a behind-the-scenes tour of Dumbarton Oaks’ collections, where participants examined quipus up close.
So, what exactly is a quipu? Alice describes it as “an ancient Andean recording device composed of knots on strings.” While often imagined as narrative tools, current evidence suggests they primarily encoded numerical data. “The materials and techniques are fascinating. Quipus comprise different types of knots, tied in various directions, and textures that you feel more than see,” she noted.
The day was also a networking opportunity, connecting Alice with scholars and students from diverse backgrounds. She met researchers working on topics ranging from pre-Columbian art and Mesoamerican studies to chemistry and data analytics. One student even studies Quechua to explore linguistic ties to quipus. “It was incredible to meet half of the world’s scholars on quipus in one room,” Alice said. “People came from California, Canada, Scotland, Peru, and even Korea.”
Among the most surprising insights was learning how numerical quipus are decoded, particularly colorful Wari examples where hues correspond to knot patterns. This technical knowledge enriched Alice’s understanding of embodied knowledge—a concept central to her thesis on Vicuña. “Tom Cummins’ lecture on the binaries in Incan social structure resonated with Vicuña’s idea of creation as a lifeforce,” Alice explained. “Her art embodies indigenous history and the notion that making is a bodily, vital act.”
Reflecting on the experience, Alice emphasized the value of engaging with living scholarship. For her, Dumbarton Oaks was not just a study day, it opened doors for deeper research and global collaboration.
December 15, 2025