Arithmetical: 12 has a larger number of divisors (1,2,3,4,6,12) than any other number smaller than 18.
Geometrical: it is trivial to divide a circle into 12 equal sections, as you don't even need a variable-girth compass. "It's the statue, man, The Statue."
For the non-mathematical among us (or the non geometrical)--who would be me--I had to look it up.
Here's what I got.
To draw a circle you need a compass of some kind. The point is the centre and the line you draw is the circumference. Take the same compass, put it's point somewhere on the circumference and then draw another circle, which will bisect the orginal circle in two places. Move the compass to one of these bisection points and repeat. You will now have...three marks on your circle, because...because your new circle will bisect the circumference at a new point and also at the old point...keep going until you have...six divisions.
Now look at the circles you have drawn. They meet. Draw lines from where they meet to the centre of the original circle...voila! The circle is divided into twelve!
Did I get that right?
(And I'm presuming it is slightly out because the circumference is the diameter times pi, or the radius times pi times two...?
And lo....maths!
(Thing is, as I understand it the greeks weren't inventors of this knowledge; they learnt it over in Alexandria, and so I am assuming it is ancient knowledge, far pre-dating the greeks, but we call them the discoverers because...well, a reason I can think of: the destruction of the library in Alexandria.)
And as this all started, for me, with Gaianne's comment about knowledge being destroyed, how about this gem?
We found a large number of books in these characters and, as they contained nothing in which were not to be seen as superstition and lies of the devil, we burned them all, which they (the Maya) regretted to an amazing degree, and which caused them much affliction.
Only three Pre-Columbian "books" of Maya hieroglyphics (also known as a codices) and fragments of a fourth are known to have survived. Collectively, these works are known as the Maya codices.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_de_Landa
The famous Library of Alexandria was created by Ptolemy I Soter and its first librarian was Zenodotus of Ephesus.
BTW, the second librarian was Eratosthenes of Cyrene, who was the first to measure the Earth's cicumference... "Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
My mind acheth.
So...I have read up on the library and have some questions.
1) Why were the greeks running a library in Alexandria?
My initial assumption: because the Pharaoh stumped up the cash.
After Ptolemy I Soter, on of Alexander's successful generals, secured the kingship for himself of conquered Egypt, Theophrastus turned down the Pharoah's invitation in 297 B.C.E to tutor Ptolemy's heir, and instead recommended Demetrius, who had recently been driven out from Athens as a result of political fallout from the conflicts of Alexander's successors
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/GreekScience/Students/Ellen/Museum.html#RTFToC3
Oh, intrigue! Greek generals bashing about, establishing a centre of learning in Egypt. Why Egypt?
Well...was it a historic centre of learning? Or was it...opportune?
So. It was founded by a greek dictator exile, another greek declared himself king of Egypt, and soon enough the dictator was translating, starting with the Old Testament.
Sounds to me as though the greeks had the cultural and economic clout to set up a "world library" and had greeks as librarians, and the works of greeks such as Aristotle and Plato; but the idea was to collect the world's knowledge which, for me, pre-supposes a world of knowledge they wanted to capture, for many reasons but I assume at least some were scientific.
But Ikernov nussink! I'm just following a thread...in my head...
...What about the vedic traditions?
I can't see that knowledge was unshared. My guess: the various knowledge bases were seeking to coalesce under the shadow of power-battles among the rich and powerful.
So I'd expect some greek bias in the library, but I'm only interested in...what? In the capacities of human thought and invention I suppose. And also (look around us!) at the power of...human power...to break knowledge, to destroy information deleterious to the human power...that would seek to break it.
I must thank you, Melanchthon, and you too, DoDo! Don't fight forces, use them R. Buckminster Fuller.
You can make that crop circle with a single piece of string, a stick and a plank. "It's the statue, man, The Statue."
