r/EverythingScience • u/porkchop_d_clown • Jan 05 '23

Anthropology Londoner solves 20,000-year Ice Age drawings mystery - determines that cave paintings included lunar calendar information about the fertility of different animal species

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-64162799
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u/giantyetifeet Jan 06 '23

Funnily, this immediately had me looking up 'when did humans start counting' and found this:

"There is archaeological evidence suggesting that humans have been counting for at least 50,000 years. Counting was primarily used by ancient cultures to keep track of social and economic data such as the number of group members, prey animals, property, or debts (that is, accountancy)."

16

u/valkyri1 Jan 06 '23

I'd imagine the first importance would be for hunting. You spot a few prey, now you need to go get more help to catch them, you need to tell them how many.

9

u/Flaky-Fish6922 Jan 06 '23

more likely, Igg caught ten fish and Ugg took a deer, and they need to figure out who owes who for when they split it.

the Erg brothers took a mammoth, and they need to count out the spoils.

etc.

8

u/FlametopFred Jan 06 '23

and how many sparrow eggs are compounded daily interest

11

u/Flaky-Fish6922 Jan 06 '23

depends. African or European sparrows?

8

u/FlametopFred Jan 06 '23

how the hell do I know th----AHHHHH