Numerals are used singularly or combined with symbols to represent a number. All Brahmi-derived scripts have their unique numeral digits. The concept of place value notation using just nine numerals and zero was developed in Ancient India. This concept spread to Europe through Arabic Ghubar numerals, eventually giving the modern Hindu Arabic numeral. Brahmi numerals also developed into many distinct forms across various Indian and South Asian scripts. But, with increasing globalisation, a homogenisation of scripts and languages is observed in print and digital media. We are witnessing the prominence of Modern numerals (Hindu Arabic numerals ), and the numerals of the Indic scripts are the victims of this cultural and 10 technological shift. In this study, a detailed literature review is done to trace the origin and spread of Brahmi numerals. The numerals of various Indian scripts are studied using comparative morphological analysis. Like the Brahmi letterforms, the numerals of the Brahmi script family also evolved over centuries due to the interaction between writing medium and tools into diverse symbols. Geometrical and formal relationships between the numerals and their letterforms of the corresponding script were also studied and visualised. A chronological and morphological analysis of Telugu script numerals is carried out, and the corresponding relationship between the root letter structure and the structure of the numerals is mapped using infographics.

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Shape of Numbers: A Study on Origin and Evolution of Brahmi Numerals and Their Structural Relationship with Letterforms

  • Chakradhar Aalla,
  • Mohammad Shahid

摘要

Numerals are used singularly or combined with symbols to represent a number. All Brahmi-derived scripts have their unique numeral digits. The concept of place value notation using just nine numerals and zero was developed in Ancient India. This concept spread to Europe through Arabic Ghubar numerals, eventually giving the modern Hindu Arabic numeral. Brahmi numerals also developed into many distinct forms across various Indian and South Asian scripts. But, with increasing globalisation, a homogenisation of scripts and languages is observed in print and digital media. We are witnessing the prominence of Modern numerals (Hindu Arabic numerals ), and the numerals of the Indic scripts are the victims of this cultural and 10 technological shift. In this study, a detailed literature review is done to trace the origin and spread of Brahmi numerals. The numerals of various Indian scripts are studied using comparative morphological analysis. Like the Brahmi letterforms, the numerals of the Brahmi script family also evolved over centuries due to the interaction between writing medium and tools into diverse symbols. Geometrical and formal relationships between the numerals and their letterforms of the corresponding script were also studied and visualised. A chronological and morphological analysis of Telugu script numerals is carried out, and the corresponding relationship between the root letter structure and the structure of the numerals is mapped using infographics.