Plympton 322
This is Plympton 322, and this mathematical tablet written in cuneiform has been studied a lot to work out how much the Babylonians understood trigonometry. I love how much we still can learn and study about the history of math!
literature
Sumerian Tablet
Sumerian is the first written language and linguists think of it as a “language isolate”; it isn’t related to any other known languages. This tablet is from the 26th century BCE.
Fibonacci Writings
Fibonacci was an early 13th-century Italian who made Europeans aware that the Arabic number system we use today is much better for doing math than the Roman Numeral system medieval people had been using. Plus he wrote out the Fibonacci numbers, which are shown here in his most important book, _Liber Abaci_ (Book of Calculations).
Fibonacci Writings Read More »
Hymn to Ninsaki Tablet
This is a tablet from Ancient Mesopotamia dating to 1800 BCE. It is a hymn to Ninsaki, the goddess of beer. It is also a beer recipe. Some scholars think that beer might have been invented even before bread – whether this is true or not, beer was super important (calories, socialization, nutrients, safer than
Hymn to Ninsaki Tablet Read More »
Angels and Demons
M.C. Escher, “Angels and Demons,” part of a series called “Capturing Infinity,” 1960. Escher worked on consultations with several mathematicians to develop much of his artwork.
The Tale of Gengi
This 12th c manuscript is the oldest remaining copy of “The Tale of Gengi”, written by the lady courtier Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th c. Murasaki is a great example of how women’s history could create fantastic innovations in their response to being marginalized. In this case, women like Murasaki invented Japanese writing. They
“Thunder, Perfect Wisdom” Text
“Thunder, Perfect Wisdom” is a super trippy text from around the second century, probably Egypt. Although it’s not Daoist, it has a lot of similarities. I also like it because it’s told through the voice of a woman.
“Thunder, Perfect Wisdom” Text Read More »
Babylon Epic of Gilgamesh Tablet
This 4,000 year old tablet from Ancient Babylon has part of the _Epic of Gilgamesh_ on it. There is a great English rendition by Stephen Mitchell. It’s so cool that the first recorded story deals with the fundamental source of human concern – the inevitability of death.
Babylon Epic of Gilgamesh Tablet Read More »
Ancient Roman Holiday Dedicated to the God of Mildew
This 3rd-century CE mosaic illustrates the month of April in the Ancient Roman world, which was then, as now, a time when sun and rains could be expected as part of the spring season. It was during this month that the religious feast devoted to the deity of mildew was celebrated. The Ancient Romans
Ancient Roman Holiday Dedicated to the God of Mildew Read More »
Timucuan Amerindians Record Their Written Language
At the time of the Spanish discovery of the Americas, the Timucuan peoples were the largest linguistic group around modern Florida and Georgia, numbering about 200,000. They were not united peoples but lived in different groups, sometimes hunting and gathering, other times farming, but their culture was rich (see second image for Timucuan lands in
Timucuan Amerindians Record Their Written Language Read More »
The Shipwreck of Essex and the Resort to Cannibalism
Tales of shipwrecks are often sad, but I’d bet money that this one is the most macabre and gruesome in history. The sea vessel _Essex_ sailed from Nantucket to waters off the coast of South America in search of lucrative whales. 20 men were on board the boat, which ended up rounding Cape Horn and
The Shipwreck of Essex and the Resort to Cannibalism Read More »
Li Qingzhao the Famous Medieval Chinese Poetess
This is a beautiful modern artistic rendition of one of China’s most famous poets: Li Qingzhao (1084- ca. 1155). Her works reflect a sort of artistic craftsmanship that cannot be translated into English, and also a unique window into a woman’s mind from a time of strident patriarchy. Most of her writings have been lost,
Li Qingzhao the Famous Medieval Chinese Poetess Read More »