Definition:Babylonian Clay Tablets
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Definition
The Babylonian clay tablets are the written remains of the Old Babylonian empire.
Historical Note
There are about a million Babylonian clay tablets that have been dug up from the ground in Mesopotamia.
Of these, a few hundred are concerned with mathematics and astronomy.
They indicate that the ancient Babylonians had a sophisticated knowledge of astronomy, and a number system which could express numbers to high precision.
They also indicate that they had the knowledge of how to solve quadratic equations.
Sources
- 2004: Ian Stewart: Galois Theory (3rd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Historical Introduction: Polynomial Equations
- 2008: Ian Stewart: Taming the Infinite ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $1$: Tokens, Tallies and Tablets: The first numerals