How did the ancients calculate?

Ancient people usually used some simple methods to count without numbers and counting symbols.

In early human society, people usually counted according to natural things, such as fingers, toes and stones. Many scaly bones, shells, animal teeth, etc. have been found in cultural sites before history, which are considered as tools used by ancient people to count. As for how to use these tools, some may be used to calculate the number of items, some may be used to record time, and some may be used to perform simple arithmetic operations.

The earliest counting symbols in ancient China are hieroglyphics based on the sun, the moon, mountains, rivers and the earth. The character "ten" in Chinese characters is the original counting symbol, indicating the superposition of upper and lower structures. Ancient people in China also used fingerprints, digital gestures and other methods to count.

In other cultures, ancient people often used different counting symbols and methods. For example, the ancient Egyptians used a symbol similar to Roman numerals, which was represented by columns of pixels, dots and strokes; The traditional Maya adopted a number system based on 20 and invented a counting symbol called "zero", which enabled them to calculate more accurately.

In short, ancient people used various methods to count, without numbers or counting symbols, usually based on natural phenomena, which was simple and easy to use. This has also promoted the development and progress of human digital symbols.