Astronomy and Mathematics in Ancient India – Astronomie et mathematiques de l’Inde ancienne

Actes de la journee d'etudes organisee le 24 avril 2009 a l'Universite Libre de Bruxelles

edited by J.M. Delire

Book cover: Astronomy and Mathematics in Ancient India – Astronomie et mathematiques de l’Inde ancienne

Extent: 199 pages

Publisher: Peeters Publishers

Subjects: Asian/Pacific Studies & Religions, Earth & Life Sciences 

Series: Lettres Orientales et Classiques

Series volume number: 17

Language: English

Paperback (Published)

(September 2012)

ISBN: 9789042926141

Price: $49.00

Out of stock

Though India is nowadays a part of our daily media environment, its science, as ancient as Greek science, is still not well-known and is insufficiently included in history of science manuals. This book aims at helping to fill this gap by letting some of the best specialists in Indian astronomy and mathematics express themselves. They recount the evolution of these sciences, from the Aryabhatiya (6th century) to the works of the Keralese astronomers-mathematicians (13th-14th centuries), via treatises on prosody (14th century) and on astrolabe making produced since the same period. These treatises are described in association with the oldest Sanskrit astrolabe, preserved in Belgium.


Already in 1786, Sir William Jones, founder of the Asiatick Society in Calcutta, wrote What their astronomical and mathematical writings contain, will not, I trust, remain long a secret: they are easily procured, and their importance cannot be doubted. Nevertheless, though India is nowadays a part of our daily media environment, its science, as ancient as Greek science, is still badly known and insufficiently included in history of science manuals. This book aims at helping to fill this gap by letting some of the best specialists in Indian astronomy and mathematics express themselves. They recount the evolution of these sciences, from the Aryabhatiya (6th century) to the works of the Keralese astronomers-mathematicians (13th-14th centuries), via treatises on prosody (14th century) and on astrolabe making produced since the same period. These treatises are described in association with the oldest Sanskrit astrolabe, preserved in Belgium. En 1786 dej…, Sir William Jones, fondateur de l’Asiatick Society … Calcutta, ecrivait Pour leurs ecrits astonomiques et mathematiques, je suis sur que leur contenu ne restera pas longtemps un secret: ils sont aisement disponibles, et leur importance ne fait aucun doute. Et pourtant, alors que l’Inde fait aujourd’hui partie de notre environnement mediatique quotidien, sa science, qui est au moins aussi ancienne que la science grecque, est toujours mal connue et trop peu integree dans les ouvrages d’histoire des sciences. Ce livre veut contribuer … combler cette lacune en donnant la parole … certains des meilleurs specialistes de l’astronomie et des mathematiques indiennes. Ceux-ci retracent l’evolution de ces sciences, depuis l’Aryabhatiya (VIe siecle) jusqu’aux travaux des astronomes mathematiciens keralais (XIII-XVIe siecles), en passant par des traites de prosodie (XIVe siecle) et de fabrication d’astrolabes composes depuis la meme epoque. Ces derniers traites sont decrits en association avec le plus ancien astrolabe sanskrit, conserve en Belgique.

  • Edited by JM Delire