Page 51 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 11
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MY AFRIKA
suspect), only the calculations for on the interpretation of the essentially a brief history of rac-
sifting from in the range 1 to 10 bone. De Heinzelin [8] himself ism in mathematics. Zaslavsky
are exemplified on column M. proposed that the bone repre- provides us with a snapshot of
The Ishango mathematicians will sented some elementary form of the views of of prominent schol-
have judged that one example of arithmetic game; but this lacked ars that had a major influence
their sieving method sufficed. sufficient correspondence with on the predisposition of schol-
the data. The exception to this is ars coming into the field of the
Previous Interpretations of perhaps the work of Marshack study. Furthermore, she does this
the Ishango Bone [9] who interprets the bone to from the standpoint of a practis-
be a lunar calendar and was able ing mathematician.
Of the interpretations offered by to demonstrate a level of corre-
past studies on the nature of the spondence between the engraved As Zaslavsky has noted: "In
Ishango bone, none have man- marks on the bone and astro- Great Britain there arose a school
aged to explain all of the facets nomical lunar periods. Further of anthropologists led by E.B.
of information exhibited by the support for Marshack's theory is Tylor, having a point of view
bone or indeed given any expla- seen to be suggested by the fact based on their interpretation
nation that sees all columns of that modern Africans still use of the new doctrine of evolu-
the bone as dedicated to a single bones, strings and other devices tion. Their thesis was this: man
unified purpose. The Study as lunar calendars. evolved from a primitive to an
of Pletser [6] suggests that the advanced state over many millen-
bone exhibits a base 12 counting 2. The Negative Pre-disposi- nia. The white man had arrived
system. In support of this theory tion of Mathematical Histori- at the highest level in contrast to
Pletser notes that all columns ans Towards So Called "Primi- the primitive savages of Darkest
of the bone sum to factors of tive" Societies Africa, who were still in the very
12 being 60 each for the G and early stages of evolution. " [10].
D columns and 48 for the M In the remainder of the paper
column. It is appreciated by the term primitive, as employed Further works cited by Zaslavsky
Pletser that column M is central by the author will not be taken reinforce these associations of
to understanding the numbering to mean "backward" - merely primitivity with African peoples
system and the arithmetic on the "ancient" and perhaps "basic" such as the work the "Num-
bone. Hence much attention is due to limitations imposed by ber Concept" by L.L. Conant.
paid to this column. But when the available tools at Stone Age published in 1896 [11]. There
it came to columns G and D man/woman's disposal. How- emerged the commonplace belief
Pletser then engages the read- ever, we must also deal with the in European scholarship that Af-
er in the problem of "How to more derogatory application of ricans were incapable of count-
Account for the G and D Col- the term "primitive" as applied ing beyond a certain denomina-
umns" as if some use needs to be invariably to African people in tion. She notes: "Conant sees
discerned for them. Pletser and the history of mathematics. the occurrence of numbers up to
Huylebrouck [7], further explore a million among South African
the base 12 theory, but do not A long history of negatively pre- people as remarkable exceptions"
present a theory that sees the disposed scholarship on Africa in - to a law that basically matched
markings on the bone as any- mathematics has had an impact intelligence to the ability to count
thing more than simple arithme- on the failure to see merit in the to higher denominations [12].
tic; fitting a pre-disposed view of mathematics and science of Afri-
the limited abilities of primitive can people. In this section, I rely Frank Boas, writing in the late
people. Much of the data is thus heavily on Claudia Zaslavsky's 1930s, gives some respite from
unexplained and very disjointed. excellent literary review in her the preponderance of negative
This is typical of much work work "Africa Counts" of what is views of the intellect of African
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