Slavic numbers: a step into the history

In ancient Russia Slavic figures were used for counting and recording. In this counting system, symbols were applied in a sequential order of the alphabet. In many respects it is similar to the Greek system of writing digital symbols. Slavic numerals are the designation of numbers using the letters of the ancient alphabets - Cyrillic and Glagolitic.

Titlo - special designation

Many ancient peoples used letters from their alphabets to write numbers. The Slavs were no exception. They denoted the Slavic figures in letters from Cyrillic.

In order to distinguish the letter from the number, we used a special icon - titlo. All the Slavic figures had it above the letter. The symbol is written from above and represents a wavy line. As an example, the image of the first three numbers in the Old Slavonic designation is given.

This sign is used in other ancient account systems. He only slightly changes his form. Initially, this kind of designation came from Cyril and Methodius, because they developed our alphabet on the basis of the Greek alphabet. The titlo was written both with more rounded edges, and with sharp ones. Both options were considered correct and used everywhere.

Features of the designation of numbers

The letters were designated from left to right. The exception was numbers from "11" to "19". They were written from right to left. Historically, this has been preserved in the names of modern numerals ( one-on-ten, two-on-ten , etc., that is, the first stands for a letter denoting units, the second for tens). Each letter of the alphabet denoted the numbers from 1 to 9, from 10 to 90, from 100 to 900.

Not all letters of the Slavonic alphabet were used to denote numbers. So, "F" and "B" were not used for numbering. They simply were not in the Greek alphabet, which was adopted as a model). Also, the count began with a unit, and not with the usual zero for us.

Sometimes the coins used a mixed system of designating numbers - from Cyrillic and Arabic letters. Most often only lowercase letters were used.

When Slavic symbols from the alphabet designate numbers, some of them change their configuration. For example, the letter "i" in this case is written without a dot with a "titlo" sign and means 10. The figure 400 could be written in two ways, depending on the geographical location of the monastery. So, in the old Russian printed chronicles, the use of the letter "Ika" is typical for this figure, and in the old Ukrainian "Izhitsy".

What are Slavic numbers?

Our ancestors with the help of special designations wrote dates and numbers in the annals, documents, coins, letters. Complex numbers up to 999 were denoted by several letters in a row under the general "titlo" sign. For example, 743 on the letter was read by the following letters:

• З (the ground) - "7";
• D (good) - "4";
• G (verb) - "3".

All these letters were united under a common symbol.

The Slavonic numbers, which denoted a number greater than 1000, were written with a special ҂ sign. He was put in front of the desired letter with the title. If it was necessary to write a numeral more than 10 000, special signs were used:

• "Az" in the circle - 10 000 (darkness);
• "Az" in the circle of points - 100 000 (legion);
• "Az" in the circle consisting of commas - 1 000 000 (leodr).

In these circles a letter with the necessary digital value is placed.

Examples of using Slavic figures

Such a designation could be found in documentation and on ancient coins. The first such figures can be seen on Peter's silver coins in 1699. With this designation they were minted for 23 years. These coins now belong to rarities and are very much appreciated among collectors.

On gold coins symbols were filled for 6 years, since 1701. Coins made of copper with Slavic numerals were in use from 1700 to 1721.

In ancient times, the church had a huge impact on politics and the life of society as a whole. Church and Slavonic figures were also used to record orders and chronicles. They were indicated in the letter on the same principle.

The teaching of children also took place in the churches. Therefore, the children learned to spell and account for it by publications and chronicles using Church Slavonic letters and numbers. This training was rather difficult, because the designation of large numbers with a few letters needed to be memorized by heart.

All the sovereign decrees were also written using Slavic figures. The writers of that time were obliged not only to know by heart the entire alphabet of the Glagolitic and Cyrillic alphabets, but also the designation of absolutely all the digits and the rules for their writing. Ordinary residents of the state often were not taught this, because the letter was the privilege of very few.