Indian Mathematics c9.23

c9.23

On the other hand it is held that there is no sound evidence of the employment in India of a place-value system earlier than about the ninth century. The suggestion of ‘divine origin’ indicates nothing but historical ignorance; Maçoudi is obviously wildly erratic; the inscription of A.D. 595 is not above suspicion\* and the next inscription with an example of the place-value system is nearly three centuries later, while there are hundreds intervening with examples of the old non-place value system. The references in mediæval works to India do not necessarily indicate India proper but often simply refer to ‘the East’ and the use of the term with regard to numbers has been further confused by the misreading by Wœpcke and others of the Arabic term *hindasi* (geometrical, having to do with numeration, etc.) which has nothing to do with India. Again, it has been assumed that the use of the abacus “has been universal in India from time immemorial,” but this assumption is not based upon fact, there being actually no evidence of its use in India until quite modern times. Further, there is evidence that indicates that the notation was introduced into India, as it was into Europe, from a right to left script.