History of Hindu Mathematics: A Source Book v1.c7.s15.11

v1.c7.s15.11

The second assumption that the Hindu numeral figures of the eighth century were adopted by the Arabs is not supported by fact. The figures that are found in the old Arabic manuscripts resemble either the *ghobâr* numerals or the modern Arabic more than the Hindu numerals of the eighth century. In fact, we have every reason to believe that the Arabs knew these *ghobâr* forms, perhaps without the principle of place-value and zero, long before they had direct contact with India, and that they adopted zero only about 750 A.D.