Pythagorean Theorem Found on Ancient Babylonian Clay Tablets Predating Pythagoras by 1,000 Years
The 3700-year-old Babylonian tablet, Plimpton 322. Photo: UNSW/Andrew Kelly
The solution to the puzzle was revealed through Si.427. Mansfield came across the clay artifact at the Istanbul Archaeology Museums, where it had been quietly stored for many years, largely unnoticed.
“With this new tablet, we can actually see for the first time why they were interested in geometry: to lay down precise land boundaries,” says Mansfield in the statement. “This is from a period where land is starting to become private—people started thinking about land in terms of ‘my land and your land,’ wanting to establish a proper boundary to have positive neighborly relationships.”
Additional supporting evidence comes in the form of tablet IM67118, dating back to 1770 BC. This discovery comprises textual content, a diagram, and tools for calculating the area of a rectangle as well as the length of its diagonal. The accompanying text outlines a solution employing Pythagoras’ theorem.
The solution to the puzzle was revealed through Si.427. Mansfield came across the clay artifact at the Istanbul Archaeology Museums, where it had been quietly stored for many years, largely unnoticed.
“With this new tablet, we can actually see for the first time why they were interested in geometry: to lay down precise land boundaries,” says Mansfield in the statement. “This is from a period where land is starting to become private—people started thinking about land in terms of ‘my land and your land,’ wanting to establish a proper boundary to have positive neighborly relationships.”
Additional supporting evidence comes in the form of tablet IM67118, dating back to 1770 BC. This discovery comprises textual content, a diagram, and tools for calculating the area of a rectangle as well as the length of its diagonal. The accompanying text outlines a solution employing Pythagoras’ theorem.
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18 April 2024
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