©
© Qian Haosun
Width: 371.000 mm
Height: 225.000 mm
Thickness: 28.000 mm
Donated by Qian Haosun
1988.07-08.1
On loan to
Abacus, made by Qian Hasun
Taiwan
Designed by Qian Haosun in 1984
Chinese mathematicians developed a counting system based on tens in 300 BC. The abacus, an early calculator, may have been invented to speed up their calculations and can assist with additions, subtractions, multiplications and divisions.
Qian Haosun, a Taiwanese artist, designed this wooden framed abacus with metal rods and porcelain beads decorated with dragons in 1984.
Abacuses are still in use in China, Taiwan and Japan.
