VOL. Xlir.'J PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. Q^J 



Recherches Curieuses, &c. i, e. Curious Researches of Antiquity, contained in 

 divers Dissertations concerning Medals, Bas-reliefs, Statues, Mosaic JVorhs, 

 and Inscriptions of the Ancients: enriched ivith a great Number of Brass Cuts, 

 By Mons. Spon, Dr, of Physic, at Lyons, l683, in Ato. N° 153, p. 386. 



The subjects described In this work, consisting of various pieces of antiqui- 

 ties, as bucklers, shields, monuments, statues, rings, medals, coins, pictures, 

 urns, inscriptions, &c. are too numerous to be particularized. 



The Antiquity of the Indian Numeral Characters. By Dr. IVallis. N° 154, 



p. 399. 



Sir, I send you a drawing of an ancient mantle-tree, which was lately sliowed 

 me, at Helmdon, in Northamptonshire, belonging to the parlour chimney of 

 the parsonage house. What makes it very remarkable, is the date, expressing 

 I suppose the time when it was first made, described partly in numerals. A° 

 Do* M° 133. But both the letters and the figures are of an antique form, 

 agreeing well enough with that age. 



That the numeral figures now in frequent use, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0, with 

 the manner of computation by them, and the names of algorism appropriated 

 to that way of computation, came to us from the Arabs, but somewhat altered as 

 to the shape of the figures in succeeding ages, as are also the Latin letters, which 

 were originally derived from those of the Greek, and to them from the Indians, 

 who are supposed to have been the first inventors of such figures, and the way 

 of computation by them, is generally agreed I think by all who have made these 

 afl^airs their study. But it is not so generally agreed, of what antiquity the 

 use of them has been in Europe. 



Vossius, in his Treatise De Scientis Mathematicis, says, they have not been 

 of use in Europe for much more than 350 years; and thinks they were not in- 

 troduced till about the year of our Lord 1300, or at the farthest later than the 

 year 1250. 



And P. Mabillion, in his Treatise lately printed De Re Diplomatics, tells us, 

 that he has not found them any where used sooner than the 14th century: 

 which is yet somewhat later than the time assigned by Vossius. 



What time is assigned by others I cannot say. But for my part, I think their 

 use in these parts to have been much older. As old at least as the year 1050; 

 if not so frequently in ordinary affairs, yet at least in mathematical things, and 

 especially in astronomical tables. 



They came to us, I suppose, first from the moors in Spain, from whom we 



