Ishango bone

The Ishango bone is an old tool made from bone that was found at a place called the "Fisherman Settlement" in Ishango, which is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This bone dates back to a time called the Upper Paleolithic era, very long ago. It is dark brown, about 10 centimeters long, and has a sharp piece of quartz attached to one end, maybe for making marks or designs.

People have wondered what the marks on the Ishango bone mean. Some think the marks might be related to math or even astrology. One idea is that it was a tally stick, used for counting, because it has lines carved in three columns. But others think the marks might just help hold the bone or have a different purpose that is not about math.

Some believe the marks could be a way to track the phases of the moon, making it an early calendar. Even though some call it "the oldest mathematical tool of humankind," there are other old engraved bones, like the "Wolf Bone" from Dolni Vestonice in the Czech Republic and the Lebombo bone from southern Africa, that are even older.

History

Archaeological discovery

The Ishango bone was found in 1950 by Belgian Jean de Heinzelin de Braucourt while exploring what was then the Belgian Congo. It was discovered in the area of Ishango near the Semliki River. Lake Edward empties into the Semliki, which forms part of the headwaters of the Nile River (now on the border between modern-day Uganda and D.R. Congo).

On an excavation, de Heinzelin discovered a bone about the size of a pencil amongst human remains and many stone tools in a small community that fished and gathered in this area of Africa. Professor de Heinzelin brought the Ishango bone to Belgium, where it was stored in the treasure room of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels.

Dating

The artifact was first estimated to have originated between 9,000 BCE and 6,500 BCE, making it from between 8,500 and 11,000 years in age, but numerous other analyses suggested the bone could be as old as 44,000 years. The dating of the site where it was discovered was re-evaluated, however, and it is now believed to be about 20,000 years old (dating from between 18,000 BCE and 20,000 BCE). The dating of this bone is widely debated in the archaeological community, as the ratio of carbon isotopes was upset by nearby volcanic activity.

Interpretations

The Ishango bone has many markings that have sparked different ideas about its use. Some think it may have been a tool for simple math, like counting or multiplication. Others have suggested it could have been used to track lunar cycles, similar to a calendar.

Experts caution that while the markings are interesting, we cannot be certain about their exact purpose. The bone might have been used for counting, but it is also possible that the patterns are not mathematical at all. Different scholars have various theories, but more evidence is needed to know for sure.