Did the Inca envision a blockchain system?

A recent study suggests that a mile-long band of 5,200 holes in Monte Sierpe, Peru, initially served as a barter marketplace and evolved into a large-scale accounting tool during the Inca Empire (1400-1532 AD). This system was likened to a modern blockchain, operating as a public ledger that allowed verification of tribute payments without currency or writing. The holes not only represented a form of proof-of-work through their construction but also facilitated transparency in economic exchanges. Researchers noted that this structure was reminiscent of the Inca khipu, a knotted-string system used for record-keeping, pointing towards an organized method of commerce that enabled the administration of large populations. While the khipu relied on trust in the record-keeper, Monte Sierpe offered a physically public display, enhancing trust and verifying contributions. Unlike modern blockchains that retain history by appending new blocks, reusing the holes meant losing prior records. This study highlights the Incas' sophisticated understanding of resource management, suggesting that while they may not have created a digital blockchain, they effectively established a public, immutable ledger long before such concepts were technically available.

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