Rare Ancient Multiplication Tables Found In 2,300-Year-Old Chinese Tomb

[Judi Lynn]

A real addition to our understanding of a divided period in Chinese history, with many key take-aways.

author
BEN TAUB

Some incredibly old written multiplication formulas have been unearthed at a mausoleum in central China. While excavating the Qinjiazui site in Hubei Province, archaeologists came across strips of bamboo inscribed with mathematical tables, which are likely to have been recorded more than 2,300 years ago.

Announcing the discovery at a press conference, China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration said the ancient scraps of bamboo were found in a tomb dating back to the Warring States period, which was characterized by bitter conflict between seven quarreling states. According to Yang Kaiyong from the Jingzhou Museum, the burial - known simply as M1093 - probably dates back to the reign of either King Chu Xuan or King Chu Wei, from 369 to 329 BCE.

Bamboo slips were the most popular writing material in the period before paper became widespread. Typically just a centimeter or two wide and a few inches long, these slips have been found in huge numbers at the Qinjiazui site.

Of all the tombs identified so far, M1093 contains the highest number of these slips. Commenting on the vast quantity of writing scraps found at Qinjiazui, Yang said in a statement that “a total of 3,910 bamboo slips were uncovered.”

More:
https://www.iflscience.com/rare-ancient-multiplication-tables-found-in-2300-year-old-chinese-tomb-72142