Number pi from the decoration of the Langstrup plate

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the Langstrup belt disk, an ancient Bronze Age artifact, revealing that its decoration demonstrates knowledge of rational approximations of pi, shedding light on early mathematical understanding.

Contribution

It provides evidence that Bronze Age artisans had an understanding of rational approximations of pi through analysis of the artifact's geometric decoration.

Findings

Measurements suggest the artist used rational approximations of pi.

The decoration indicates an early understanding of circle geometry.

Supports the idea of advanced mathematical knowledge in Bronze Age cultures.

Abstract

Studies of ancient bronze artifacts can be useful in understanding the progression of human knowledge of mathematics and geometry. Here I discuss the decoration composed by several circles and spirals of the Langstrup belt disk, an artifact of the Bronze Age found in Denmark. I am showing by measurements of diameters and distances of spirals, that the artist who made the decoration knew some approximations by rational numbers of the number pi, the dimensionless physical quantity representing the ratio of circumference to diameter.