The Mystery of Numbers

In The Mystery of Numbers, Annemarie Schimmel conducts an illuminating tour of the mysteries attributed to numbers over the centuries. She begins with an informative and often surprising introduction to the origins of number systems. But the heart of the book is an engrossing guide to the symbolism of numbers. Number symbolism, she shows, has deep roots in our culture, from the philosophy of the Pythagoreans and Platonists, to the religious mysticism of the Cabala and the Islamic Brethren of Purity, to Kepler's belief that the laws of planetary motion should be mathematically elegant, to the unlucky thirteen. After exploring the sources of number symbolism, Schimmel examines individual numbers ranging from one to ten thousand, discussing the meanings they have had for Judaic, Christian, and Islamic traditions, with examples from Indian, Chinese, and Native American cultures as well. From the Bible to the Mayans to Shakespeare, she shows how numbers have been considered feminine and masculine, holy and evil, lucky and unlucky, in this informative and entertaining book.

A delightful, cross-cultural romp, through the history of number mysticism...

Auteur

Annemarie Schimmel is Professor of Indo-Muslim Culture at Harvard University. A widely-respected scholar of the Near East, she has written numerous books on Islamic literature, religion, and culture.

Texte du rabat

In this fascinating book Schimmel shows that numbers have been filled with mystery and meaning since the earliest times, and across every society. She conducts an illuminating tour of the mysteries attributed to numbers and their symbolism. 45 halftones; 64 linecuts.

Résumé
An exploration of the symbolism of numbers through the ages, from ancient Mesopotamia up to contemporary European folk cultures.

Contenu
Introduction; Number and number systems; The heritage of the Pythagoreans; Gnosis and Cabala; Islamic mysticism; Medieval and baroque number symbolism; Superstitions; Number games and magic squares; Little dictionary of numbers; Bibliography; Illustration credits.