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The Making of a Scribe

Errors, Mistakes and Rounding Numbers in the Old Babylonian Kingdom of Larsa

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  • © 2020

Overview

  • Introduces new methodological tools to explore economic texts for mathematical practice
  • Shows the importance mathematics has as a tool for ancient practitioners to cope with complex economic processes
  • Presents historians of mathematics a method to study practical texts

Part of the book series: Why the Sciences of the Ancient World Matter (WSAWM, volume 4)

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Table of contents (10 chapters)

Keywords

About this book

This book presents a novel methodology to study economic texts. The author investigates discrepancies in these writings by focusing on errors, mistakes, and rounding numbers. In particular, he looks at the acquisition, use, and development of practical mathematics in an ancient society: The Old Babylonian kingdom of Larsa (beginning of the second millennium BCE Southern Iraq). In so doing, coverage bridges a gap between the sciences and humanities.

Through this work, the reader will gain insight into discrepancies encountered in economic texts in general and rounding numbers in particular. They will learn a new framework to explain error as a form of economic practice. Researchers and students will also become aware of the numerical and metrological basis for calculation in these writings and how the scribes themselves conceptualized value.

This work fills a void in Assyriological studies. It provides a methodology to explore, understand, and exploit statistical data.The anlaysis also fills a void in the history of mathematics by presenting historians of mathematics a method to study practical texts. In addition, the author shows the importance mathematics has as a tool for ancient practitioners to cope with complex economic processes. This serves as a useful case study for modern policy makers into the importance of education in any economy.

Reviews

“Middeke-Conlin's study greatly expands our understanding of the interplay between theoretical `school' mathematics and the actual practices of numerate scribes going about their daily business, at least in Old Babylonian Larsa. It is to be hoped that future scholars will take this careful and detailed methodology as a model for probing practices in other times and places.” (Duncan J. Melville, Mathematical Reviews, Issue (6), March, 2024)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Berlin Center for the History of Knowledge, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin, Germany

    Robert Middeke-Conlin

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Making of a Scribe

  • Book Subtitle: Errors, Mistakes and Rounding Numbers in the Old Babylonian Kingdom of Larsa

  • Authors: Robert Middeke-Conlin

  • Series Title: Why the Sciences of the Ancient World Matter

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35951-5

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: History, History (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-35950-8Published: 12 March 2020

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-35953-9Published: 12 March 2021

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-35951-5Published: 11 March 2020

  • Series ISSN: 2662-9933

  • Series E-ISSN: 2662-9941

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XXII, 487

  • Number of Illustrations: 135 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: History of Science, History of Mathematical Sciences, Mathematics Education, Measurement Science and Instrumentation

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