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Ancient Egyptian Military Table
Deciphered by Ossama Alsaadawi
The picture is supplied by Christopher Sangwin - England
The following messages
have been posted on Guardian discussion BB, including a translation of the AE
Hieroglyphic Math table performed by Ossama Alsaadawi:
By Christopher Sangwin ( - 138.38.32.88) on Monday, November 22, 1999 - 05:49
am:
Many thanks to everyone who responded to this and my other postings. It is
reassuring to discover that other academic fields are as friendly as
mathematics.
I have placed a translation, kindly supplied by Ossama Alsaadawi, on the web
page,
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~mapcjs/egypt/index.html
below the pictures.
Many thanks again.
Chris Sangwin
By Christopher Sangwin ( - 138.38.32.88) on Monday, November 22, 1999 - 05:55
am:
Many thanks to everyone who has responded to this and my other postings. I
received the following translation by email and am posting it here with the kind
permission of Ossama Alsaadawi, ossamaal@aast.edu.
-----------------------------------
Translation:
The text indicates a block diagram of composition of fighting brigades of
Ancient Egyptian Army ( date time is not indicated),
In first row we see two expressions (from right to left),
* First expression translates to "the fighters",
* Second expression translates to "total force".
In second row we see 6 expressions on top of 6 columns,
* First one is not clear exactly, but most likely it indicates "infantry"!
* Second one translates to "fighting platoons, 3"
(click on picture to enlarge)
* Third one concerns "marine fleet units" and translates to "marine fighting
units 5",
* Fourth one translates to "cavalry fighting brigade 1", "horsemen"!
* Fifth one translates to "cavalry fighting brigade 2",
* Sixth one translates to "cavalry fighting brigade 3",
* Total force is "450"!
Ossama Alsaadawi.
---------------------------------
Thanks again for this. It is reassuring to know that other academic fields are a
friendly as ones own.
Can anyone else suggest other interesting mathematical pieces of texts I could
use?
Chris Sangwin.
An Ancient Egyptian spreadsheet?
I am a PhD student with a strong interest in the history of mathematics. I
regularly give "Masterclasses" to school students as part of a local Masterclass
series. I am currently planning a class on "Numbers" and this will include
examples of number systems from ancient history. This piece of text contains a
lot of number signs.
The interesting bit at the top of each column is enlarged here to make it easier
to read.
Can you help translate the text at the top of each column? I would be very
grateful to anyone who could help and will of course give full credit and
acknowledgment to a collegue who can help me with this as it is well outside my
area!
I have received the following translation from Ossama Alsaadawi. Thanks also to
everyone else who responded to my request for help.
Translation:
The text indicates a block diagram of composition of fighting brigades of
Ancient Egyptian Army ( date time is not indicated), In first row we see two
expressions (from right to left),
* First expression translates to "the fighters",
* Second expression translates to "total force".
In second row we see 6 expressions on top of 6 columns,
* First one is not clear exactly, but most likely it indicates "infantry"!
* Second one translates to "fighting platoons, 3"
* Third one concerns "marine fleet units" and translates to "marine fighting
units 5",
* Fourth one translates to "cavalry fighting brigade 1", "horsemen"!
* Fifth one translates to "cavalry fighting brigade 2",
* Sixth one translates to "cavalry fighting brigade 3",
* Total force is "450"!
Ossama Alsaadawi
If you have any further comments please email me. Also, could you suggest any
other mathematical texts that would make good examples for my class? There is,
after all, no reason why I should use this one in particular.
Many thanks
Chris
If you would prefer to respond by postage/real mail then my address is,
Address; Chris Sangwin, Postgraduate Student, School of Mathematical Sciences,
University
of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY.
Office: 1W3.8
Telephone 01225 826978 (extension 6978)
Fax: (01225) 826492
E-mail Address: mapcjs@bath.ac.uk
[Chris Sangwin] [University of Bath]
-----------------------------------------
The following message was posted online on March 2007:
Mathematics Galore!:
masterclasses, workshops and team projects in mathematics and its applications
Acknowledgements:
We would particularly like to thank:
The University of Bath Department of Mathematical Sciences, the Members of the Bristol and Bath Masterclass Committee, the Royal Institution of Great Britain and the Mathematics for the Millennium team: Aaron Wilson, with help and advice with typesetting, Martin Brown, Alistair King, Ann Sangwin, Jill Budd, Vanessa FitzGerald for carefully reading chapters of the Book; Dr. Eleanor Robson, Oriental Institute Oxford, for sending us on a mathematical treasure hunt of the Ashmolean museum; Lindsay Heyes for many interesting discussions on the history and theory of mazes; David Brown for much help and advice with sundialing and also providing a photo of his sundial in Figure 3.9; Dr. Ossama Alsaadawi for providing the translation of the Egyptian text in Figure 7.5.
Figure 1.6 is reproduced ……………….
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