The Place Value Numerals of Abacuses
Channel: Bob Lyra
Date: 18/04/2024

Medieval Handwriting or Palaeography:
An overview of number typeface created from a Place Value with the use of a small abacus
and the logic underlying the writing of al-Khwarizmi digits.

This small customized abacus can be used to count in base ten and base five.
The beads of the upper deck are used to count in base ten.
So, each bead in the upper deck is worth ten.
The beads of the lower deck are used to count in base five.
So, each bead in the lower deck is worth five.

This bead has a value of ten. 
This is the palaeographic way the digit of ten is written, 
it is written by circling a bead with a value of ten.

These beads also have the value of ten, 
and this is the palaeographic way the digit nine is written.
The first step is the circling of a bead with the value of ten, 
but this value can be decreased by the addition of a downward slanting line.
So, the Medieval Handwriting or palaeography subtracts a single-digit number or a descending line 
from the whole tens number.

This bead represents the value of ten, 
and this is the palaeographic way the digit eight is written.
One begins by circling a bead with the value of ten. 
Then two downwards slanting lines are added, 
reducing the value to eight.
So, the Medieval Handwriting subtracts two descending lines 
from the whole tens number
The digit is completed by joining the lower ends of the two lines.

This bead has a value of five. 
So, this is the palaeography from the whole number five.
The writing of the digit five is begun by drawing the beam of the abacus, 
followed by the drawing of the rod descending to the bead. 
The digit is then terminated by partially circling the bead itself, 
which has the value of five.

This bead also has the base value of five, 
but a line slanting upward has been added.
So, the Medieval Handwriting adds one ascending line 
from the value of the whole number five 
to format the digit six.

This is the cursive tracing for the number 7. 
This bead with a base value of five has been modified 
by adding two lines slanting upwards.
So, the Medieval Handwriting of adds two ascending lines 
from the value of the whole number five.

The digit of seven is written by first drawing the beam of the abacus 
and then tracing a line slanting downwards to the bead. 
Initially this line followed the outline of the bead, 
but with time a modification led to the use of a line, 
tangential to the bead, slanting up to cut the original ascending line.
This Latin form of the digit seven with an ascending line cutting the original descending line 
was simplified by removing its “cutting” line.

This is the way the fourth digit is written, with four angles in the shape of a cross. 
So, this is the cursive tracing for the number 4.
Here you see the distinction between the format of a cross 
and the figure formed with the addition of another line, which can be slanted or vertical.

This is the way the third digit is written, with three angles. 
So, this is the cursive tracing for the number 3.
This is the way the second digit is written, with two angles. 
So, this is the cursive tracing for the number 2.
This is the way the first digit is written, with a single angle. 
So, this is the cursive tracing for the number 1.

This is the cursive tracing for the ZERO. The Zero glyphs are descended from the Indian Brahmi numerals.