Ishango Bone Records Early Mathematical Notations

The Ishango bone, discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is one of the earliest known mathematical artifacts. This 10-centimeter baboon fibula contains deliberately arranged notches in three columns, which many scholars interpret as evidence of early understanding of arithmetic concepts. The groupings of marks may represent numerical patterns, possibly including prime numbers, or may have served as a lunar calendar. This discovery suggests mathematical thinking developed in Africa tens of thousands of years before the rise of ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations.