Salamis Counting Table (replica)
date: label: Date made
content: 1966
name: label: maker
content: Briggs, Dorothy
notes: label: Description
content: In the ancient Middle East, those doing computations often did so by moving small stones known as calculi (from the Greek <I>khalix</I>, meaning pebble) along lines drawn on stone or sand. This is the source of our word calculate. A counting table was found on the Greek island of Salamis.
label: Description
content: This object is a replica of the Salamis counting table in the Epigraphical Museum in Athens. It is a white slab of marble with a crack in the middle and another one on the right side. The right half contains 11 equally spaced lines crossed at the middle by a line parallel to the base. On the left side are five parallel lines. Numerous other squiggles and figures appear as well. The replica was made at the Smithsonian Institution by Dorothy Briggs.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: referenced
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
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content: Abacus
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content: Science & Mathematics
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1989.3016.01
label: catalog number
content: 1989.3016.01
label: nonaccession number
content: 1989.3016
objectType: label: Object Name
content: abacus
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: marble (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 4.5 cm x 150 cm x 75.5 cm; 1 25/32 in x 59 1/16 in x 29 23/32 in
label: Measurements
content: overall: 10 in x 63 in x 34 in; 25.4 cm x 160.02 cm x 86.36 cm