When studying for the midterm I became interested with the Book of Kells. I wondered if the Celts did not have some knowledge of mathematics. When one looks at a Celtic manuscript, you can see intricate geometric patterns. I found out that the early Celts were a collection of tribes that lived between 800 and 50 BC in Great Briton. They had an oral history that was passed from generation to generation. It is assumed that the Celtic numbers developed out of a practical need to keep track of things in their daily life. They first developed counting sets called “scores, “perhaps to keep track of the amount of crops to be harvested or the number of piglets. Their number system was based on twenty rather than our ten. Fixed measurements often reflected body parts. For example, one “bas” has the length of the palm of a hand equals four inches. Three “bas” equals one foot (Measurements). In their manuscripts, one sees elaborate geometric spirals and key patterns constructed from a continuous line that are quite astounding.
“Measurements, Weights and Mediums of Exchange.” Social History of Ancient Ireland. www.ask/main/metaAnswer.asp assessed 12 October 2008.
