Quipu Necklace

The Inca Empire had its own spoken language, Quechua, which is still spoken by about a third of the Peruvian population. It is believed that the only "written" language of the Inca empire is a system of different knots tied in ropes attached to a longer cord. This system is called quipu. Quipu translates literally to "knot" or "to knot".  

As we created these necklaces, there was this primordial sense of being we felt as we worked. For thousands of years, humans have been making clay jewelry, so as we rolled out the beads, and knotted them into the linen cord, it was almost as if we were entering an ancient state of being.

Each necklace features 111 handmade ceramic beads, made by us, from the same clay we use for our pottery. We try to emulate what it may have been like to create in the ancient world, and we inject it into these pieces. The cordage is 100% linen, one of the oldest fibres known to ever be used by mankind, bringing you back to a time when the art of creation was a slow and ritualistic process. The cordage is twisted by us. Not one necklace is the same, as the subtle imperfections in the bead and the cord separate one another, and show the human connection. 

 

Approximately 17.5" drop