Word: burdock
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Dates: during 1920-1929
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...Walter Denham and Davemnt, Professor Burdock Sever 11, English...
...Golden Age of Inca history, there was a highly developed written language, consisting of signs and symbols which I cannot describe here, and written most often on dried jugilatsi or plantain leaves, sometimes on another leaf like the elephant-ear or burdock--these being unaccountably preferred for public writings because of their cumber-some size Now it came to pass (as they say in the fairy stories) that one season the burdock leaves all withered, and the sun-prophets prophesied evil, declaring that the almighty Sun was withered the leaves because of displeasure at what was written thereon...
...fact is the clause "by the people" in the edict banning the alphabet. Just what did that phrase mean to the Incas? It will be remembered that the Circle of the Elders at the university were also priests of the Sun-god. Clearly, then, what was written on the burdock by members of their sacred caste could not be displeasing to the god, and did not need to be destroyed, to ward off evil, as did the popular writings. Furthermore, we can hardly conceive of a university func- tioning without a written language; and we know how loth the Inca...