SI-427 Clay Tablet

Si.427 is a Babylonian clay tablet that dates back to the Old Babylonian period (1900-1600 BCE). It is considered to be the oldest known example of applied geometry. The tablet contains a survey plan of a field, with diagrams and cuneiform script that describe the measurements and boundaries of the land.   

The tablet was discovered in the late 19th century in what is now central Iraq, but its significance was not understood until recently. In 2021, Dr. Daniel Mansfield, a mathematician at the University of New South Wales, Australia, recognized the mathematical significance of the tablet. He realized that the surveyors who created Si.427 were using sophisticated geometric techniques, including Pythagorean triples, to accurately measure and divide land.   

Si.427 is significant for several reasons:

• It is the oldest known example of applied geometry.   
• It shows that the Babylonians were using sophisticated mathematical techniques centuries earlier than previously thought.   
• It provides insights into the practical uses of mathematics in ancient societies.   
• It sheds light on the history of land surveying and property ownership.   

The tablet is currently on display at the Istanbul Archaeological Museum in Turkey.

Print Standing with details along y axis.  (like a liphothane).  The details will get lost if you print it flat.  Print at fine setting.