Did both the Incas and Aztecs have a writing system?

This is a bit of a tricky question. While both the Incas and Aztecs had sophisticated methods of recording information, neither possessed a fully developed writing system in the same way as we understand it today.

Here's a breakdown:

Aztecs:

* Used a pictographic system called *Códice*: This system combined images, symbols, and glyphs to represent ideas, events, and concepts.

* Not a phonetic alphabet: They didn't use symbols to represent individual sounds like we do with letters.

* Limited in scope: The *Códice* system was primarily used for recording historical events, religious beliefs, and genealogical information.

Incas:

* Used a system called *Quipu*: These were knotted strings of different colors and lengths, where the knots and their positions represented numbers and concepts.

* Not a traditional writing system: It was more of a mnemonic device used for keeping records, accounting, and transmitting information over long distances.

* Limited in scope: The *Quipu* system was primarily used for numerical data and could not express complex ideas or narratives.

Key Takeaway: Both the Aztecs and Incas developed unique and complex systems for recording and transmitting information. However, these systems were not fully developed writing systems in the same way we understand the term today. They lacked the capacity to represent individual sounds or express a wide range of abstract concepts.

Therefore, the answer to your question is technically no.