The Ishango bone, symbol of Research
A symbol of Research in the Brussels-Capital Region, the Ishango bone is above all a genuine scientific treasure.
It would be the oldest known proof of the mathematical ability of our distant ancestors: a prehistoric calculator that’s about 25,000 years old!
A symbol of Research in the Brussels-Capital Region, the Ishango bone is above all a genuine scientific treasure.
Measuring just 10cm, the original object was unearthed at Ishango in the Democratic Republic of Congo by Belgian geologist Jean de Heinzelin.
It carries 168 marks grouped together deliberately and interrelated in a way which suggests advanced mathematical knowledge.
This would make the Ishango bone the oldest known proof of the mathematical ability of our distant ancestors: a prehistoric calculator that’s about 25,000 years old!
