Cistercian numeral system developed by Cistercian monks in the 13th century as a compact way to write numbers.
https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/h...m_fullsize.jpg
Previously:
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...217#post207933
Printable View
Cistercian numeral system developed by Cistercian monks in the 13th century as a compact way to write numbers.
https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/h...m_fullsize.jpg
Previously:
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...217#post207933
Difficult to read upside down!
I think the most interesting question is, "Why do a gaggle of monks need a more compact number representation?".
Parchment isn't so expensive that saving a tiny fraction of its area is important. Besides, scripture doesn't include a lot of computations or equations.
Two thoughts here...
It's really a code to conceal some illicit operation in which the monks are involved.
It's based on their warped idea of righteousness. Arabic numerals originated in a non-christian area and so are sinful. These are proper religious digits.
I do agree that math would be difficult.
But that is kinda cool. I assume for numbers 10000 and above you add another character.
We may have comments about the system, but remember that this was created in the 13th century and it was a compact way of accounting for items. Not math.
These characters are,reminiscent of framers’ marks, identifying the location and function of timbers in a a building. So it wouldn’t do to mix them up by getting them the wrong way up!