QUICHUAN

add. ·adj designating, or pertaining to, a linguistic stock of south american indians, including the majority of the civilized tribes of the ancient peruvian empire with some wild tribes never subjugated by the incas. most of these indians are short, but heavy and strong. they are brachycephalic and of remarkably low cranial capacity. nevertheless, they represent one of the highest of native american civilizations, characterized by agricultural, military, and administrative skill rather than by science or literature, although they were adept potters, weavers, and goldsmiths, and preserved by the aid of the mnemonic quipu a body of legendary lore in part written down since the introduction of writing.