History of Hindu Mathematics: A Source Book v1.c7.s16.5

v1.c7.s16.5

**Definite Evidence.** The first writer to describe the *ghobâr* numerals in any scientific way in Christian Europe was Gerbert, a French monk. He was a distinguished scholar, held high ecclesiastical positions in Italy, and was elected to the Papal chair (999). He had also been to Spain for three years. It is not definitely known where he found these numerals. Some say that he obtained them from the Moors in Spain, while others assert that he got them from some other source, probably through the merchants. We find that Gerbert did not appreciate these numerals (and rightly, for there was neither zero nor the place-value), and that in his works, known as the *Regula de abaco computi* and the *Libellus*, he has used the Roman forms. We thus see that upto the time of Gerbert (died 1003) the principle of place-value was not known in Europe.