The Mystery of Numbers by Annemarie Schimmel

The Mystery of Numbers by Annemarie Schimmel

Since the earliest times, numbers have exercised a special hold on the human imagination. In this fascinating book, the author, one of the world's foremost authorities on Sufism and Islamic mysticism, explores the symbolism of numbers through the ages, from ancient Mesopotamia up to contemporary European folk cultures. We learn why a particular number has been assigned its symbolic value in a religious or philosophical tradition, and how that symbolism has been expressed in superstitions, proverbs, and figures of speech. The book begins with a historical and thematic overview of the development of counting systems and mathematics and their role in various philosophical and religious systems. After a brief chapter on historical number puzzles, Schimmel proceeds from one symbolic number to the next. The text is enlivened throughout by illustrations showing how numeric symbolism has been represented in art and architecture.

Schimmel, Annemarie: - Annemarie Schimmel (1922-2003) was professor of Indo-Muslim culture at Harvard University and the University of Bonn. She was a consultant in the Islamic Department of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, for ten years. Her books include Islam: An Introduction and My Soul is a Woman: The Feminine in Islam.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780195063035
ISBN 10	0195063031
Title	The Mystery of Numbers
Author	Annemarie Schimmel
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Oxford University Press Inc
Year published	1993-02-25
Number of pages	324
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable