Mar.6] SOCIETYOF BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY. [1894.Theconditionof the papyrus can be explained by supposing that
the scribe, whowishingto have the fractional tableat the beginning
of Book I handy for reference, dividedthe roll in the middle
of the 6th leaf wherethe long tableended. On the back of the
fractionaltablehe had BookIII with anotherveryusefultable(for
convertingheqatintohenu), andto make his collection stillmore
-complete,the scribe wrotesomenoteson the division of fractions
(61 and 6ia)in the blank portionat the beginning of the verso, to
follow the fractionaltableon the recto in a reasonable sequence.
If the sheets are nowrejoined, this section on the division of
fractions is quite out of place : logically, and accordingto the
purposeof the scribe, it follows afterthe first sectionof Book I, and
has nothing to do with BookII or Book III. I thereiore countit
as an inserted secondpartof Book I.
In this way the somewhat contradictory evidence can be
accountedfor.
(The so-called"motto"No.85, being writtenupside down, is
perhapsa casual jottingor trial of the pen, andthe import of the
calendrical noticesNo. 87 is uncertain. Thetwopatchingstrips
No. 86 had, certainly,nothingto do with the book itself,for there is
no ruling upon them; and No. 79 on PI. XX is probably a
subsequentinsertion,verymuchout of place, thatwouldhavebeen
moreappropriatein Book I.)
Book I. —Arithmetic.
No one would expectan Egyptian to build up a complete theory
of Arithmetic on a scientific foundation: the scribe of course
assumesan elementary knowledge of the subject, and beforewe
proceedto the text, it is necessary to consider whatwas the ground
workof mathematical ideasthateverynativeof Egypt was born to
—4,000yearsago.
Notation.- Integers. —The Egyptians had no difficulty in reckoning
very high numbers; for integers they possessed a convenient
decimal system of notation, as good as any amongstthe nations
of antiquity, thoughfar inferior to that of the Hindus andArabs,
each power of 10 being representedin it by a different figure,
whilein Arabic it is marked by simply addingor cutting off a
cypher.
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