Joseph, George Gheverghese (Author)
Tarikh-e Elm (The Iranian Journal for the History of Science)
Volume: 6, no. 1
Issue: 1
Pages: 37-48
It is generally recognised that `zero' as we understand the concept today originated in two geographically separated cultures: the Maya and Indian. However, if zero merely signified a magnitude or a direction separator (i.e. separating those above the zero level from those below the zero level), the Egyptian zero, nfr, dating back at least four thousand years, amply served these purposes. If zero was merely a place-holder symbol, indicating the absence of a quantity at a specified place position, then such a zero was present in the Babylonian positional number system before the first recorded occurrence of the Indian zero. If zero was represented by just an empty space within a well-defined positional number system, such a zero was present in Chinese mathematics a few centuries before the beginning of the Common Era. The Indian culture from an early time showed interest and even fascination for large numbers and there is no contrary evidence to indicate that this was not so in the Mayan cultures. The dissemination westwards of the Indian zero as an integral part of the Indian numerals is one of the most remarkable episodes in the history of mathematics and the story is well-known.
...MoreSimilar Citations
Book
Brummelen, Glen Van;
(2009)
The Mathematics of the Heavens and the Earth: The Early History of Trigonometry
Essay Review
Steele, John M.;
(2000)
Babylonian Lunar Theory Reconsidered
Book
Steele, John M.;
(2010)
Calendars and Years II: Astronomy and Time in the Ancient and Medieval World
Book
David Brown;
Jonathan Ben-Dov;
(2018)
The Interactions of Ancient Astral Science
Book
John M. Steele;
(2016)
The Circulation of Astronomical Knowledge in the Ancient World
Book
Alexander Jones;
Liba Taub;
(2018)
The Cambridge History of Science: Volume 1, Ancient Science
Article
McCormick, Finbar;
(2012)
Cows, Milk and Religion: The Use of Dairy Produce in Early Societies
Article
Sarma, Nataraja;
(2000)
Diffusion of astronomy in the ancient world
Article
Dipak Jadhav;
(2023)
Object-numerals as listed in Nijaguṇa Śivayogī ’s Viveka-Cintāmaṇi
Chapter
Burnett, Charles;
(2002)
Indian Numerals in the Mediterranean Basin in the Twelfth Century, with Special Reference to the “Eastern Forms”
Article
Acharya, Subrata Kumar;
(2004)
Dani's Hypothesis on the Symbol Formation in Brāhmī
Article
Proust, Christine;
(2000)
La multiplication babylonienne: la part non écrite du calcul
Article
Steele, J. M.;
(2007)
Celestial Measurement in Babylonian Astronomy
Article
Steele, J. M.;
(2013)
Shadow-Length Schemes in Babylonian
Book
Bock, Barbara;
(2014)
The Healing Goddess Gula: Towards An Understanding of Ancient Babylonian Medicine
Article
Yuste, Piedad;
(2011)
Ancient Geometry: Thinking about How to Measure the Circle
Article
Muroi, Kazuo;
(2003)
Expressions of Squaring in Babylonian Mathematics
Book
John M. Steele;
(2017)
Rising Time Schemes in Babylonian Astronomy
Book
Peter Barker;
(2003)
Astronomy and Astrology from the Babylonians to Kepler: Essays Presented to Bernard R. Goldstein on the Occasion of His 65th Birthday
Article
Yasuyuki Mitsuma;
(2015)
From Preliminary Diaries to Short Diaries: The First and Second Steps in the Compilation Process of the Late Babylonian Astronomical Diaries
Be the first to comment!