50 GREEK NUMERICAL NOTATION
wards (1846). 1 The table, now broken into two unequal parts,
is in the Epigraphical Museum at Athens. The facts with
regard to it are stated, and a photograph of it is satisfactorily-
produced, by Wilhelm Kubitschek. 2 A representation of it is
also given by Nagl 3 based on Rangabë’s description, and the
sketch of it here appended follows Nagl’s drawing. The size
and material of the table (according to Rangabë’s measure
ments it is 1-5 metres long and 0-75 metre broad) show that
it was no ordinary abacus ; it may
have been a fixture intended for
quasi-public use, such as a banker’s
or money-changer’s table, or again
it may have been a scoring-table
for some kind of game like tric
trac or backgammon. Opinion has
from the first been divided between
the two views ; it has even been
suggested that the table was in
tended for both purposes. But there
can be no doubt that it was used
for some kind of calculation and,
if it was not actually an abacus, it
may at least serve to give an idea
of what the abacus was like. The
difficulties connected with its in
terpretation are easily seen. The
series of letters on the three sides are the same except
that two of them go no higher than X (1000 drachmae),
but the third has F (5000 drachmae), and T (the talent or
6000 drachmae) in addition; H is the sign for a drachma,
I for an obol (|th of the drachma), C for -|-obol, T for f-obol
(TeraprrjfxopLov, Boeckh’s suggestion), not ^-obol (TpLTrjpopiov,
Vincent), and X for |-obol (yaA/coOs). It seems to be
agreed that the four spaces provided between the five shorter
lines were intended for the fractions of the drachma ; the first
space would require 5 pebbles (one less than the 6 obols
making up a drachma), the others one each. The longer
1 Revue archéologique, iii. 1846.
2 Wiener numismatische Zeitschrift, xxxi. 1899, pp. 398-8, with
Plate xxiv.
3 Ahh. zur Gesch. d. Math. ix. 1899, plate after p. 857.
lines wouk
denominati
cates the
represent t
that,includ
only five cc
6000 drach
drachma re
vided by tl
five of the
belong to e;
two longer
use the sho
they would
middle line
between the
the crosses i
tinguish all
tion that tl;
eleven lines
only, the ode
and the ev
marking wh
case, if the c
four pebbles
ing 5 in eacl
three coluim
nomination
division of t
pebbles alto^
abacus-theor
shows how tl
special purpc
development
such a use.
The Greek
lations. Wit
their additio
without the ]
convenient th