I just stumbled upon this great little video about Ancient Numeration Systems.  It does not go into depth on any particular system, but it wanders through the following:

  • Tally marks
  • Sumerian symbols
  • Babylonian symbols
  • Egyptian symbols
  • Roman symbols and modifications of it
  • Number systems based on the body (Zulu)
  • Commerce-based number systems (Yoruba in Nigeria)
  • Number systems involving knots and string (Persians, Incans)
  • Numerals 0-9 (invented in India)
  • Place value
  • Fractions as a solution for “fair-share” situations in culture
  • Unit Fractions (Egyptians)
  • Fractions with base-60 (Sumerians and Babylonians), still used for time measurements today
  • Abacus (Chinese)
  • Use of the “bar notation” in modern-day fractions
  • Computation by the double-half method (Russian)
  • Computation by a doubling procedure (Egyptian)
  • Computation by an abacus (Europe and Asia), the “handheld calculator of its day”
  • Introduction of Arabic Numerals in Europe
  • Importance of mental math algorithms to check for reasonableness

This would be a great introduction video to a unit that involves Numeration Systems.