knotted cord
Braided string artwork
A knotted cord is a length of rope or string with knots tied at intervals, historically used for counting, measuring, or recording information before written systems.
The quipu of the Inca Empire used knotted cords to track census data and accounts.
Knotted cords also appear in religious practice—rosaries and prayer ropes help practitioners count repetitions.
He ran his fingers along the knotted cord, tallying each bead.
- ropeThick twisted fibers
- rope ladderFlexible climbing apparatus
- twineStranded cord for tying
- macraméFiber art using knots
- tangledTwisted confusedly together
twisted · tightly wound · sailor · nautical · braid · frayed · quipu · memory aid · rosary · binding · loop · cat's cradle · hitched · hemp · tied · tied up · gnarled · lasso