Archive of Mathematical Practices
Archive of Mathematical Practices
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  • Mathematical Practices Archive 🗄️
    • 🎨
      Our Archival Approach

      We want to build a history of mathematics by looking at it as forms of practices. bringing together tools, texts, local lores, and other records from different kinds of occupations,

    • 🧭
      Navigating this Archive

      How to navigate and make use of this archive ?

  • Collections 🔎
    • 👩🏾‍🎓
      Teaching

      Teaching and learning is integral to production and reproduction of mathematical practices. This is the collection of materials which we associate directly to teaching and learning.

      105 Records
      • Encuvati

        Tamil and Malayalam number tables which are products of learning at Tinnai Schools.

        49 Records
    • ⚖️
      Measuring

      Collection of measuring instruments from Museums and Households as well as records of practices and conversations pertaining to measures, standardisation and measuring. Measuring is arguably among the most pervasive of mathematical practices. What are the different roles it play in our social lives?

      208 Records
    • 📊
      Accounting

      A prominent context of mathematical practices. The collection comprises of merchant and revenue accounts.

      15 Records
    • 🗿
      Sculpting

      Under our sculpture collection, we bring together both texts on sculpting and documentation of practice, including conversations with practitioners.

      22 Records
    • 🪘
      Musical Instrument Making

      Here we explore musical instrument making as an artisanal and social practice, focusing on the practitioners involved in making, playing, maintaining, and repairing instruments.

      3 Records
    • 📐
      Architecture

      Measuring and calculation are essential part of planning and construction. This collection includes texts on how to construct temples, houses and so on.

      9 Records
    • ⚓
      Ship Building

      This collection include textual records on traditional ship design, along with contemporary documentation of the building process.

      12 Records
    • 🧑🏾‍⚕️
      Medicine

      Precision and proportion of various active components are of central importance in medicinal preparation. This collection comprise of medical texts pertaining to different schools, such as Ayurveda and Siddha.

      6 Records
    • 🌞
      Astral Sciences

      Astronomy and Astrology have always demanded precise computations of planetary positions. This collection predominantly have astrological texts and alamancs.

      58 Records
  • Research & Engagement 🧶
    • 👩🏽‍🏭
      Research

      Shared Research Practice

    • 👩🏾‍🏭
      Workshops

      Details of meetings and workshops with practitioners at their workplace and otherwise to learn from the practice.

    • 📖
      Publications

      List of Research publications and edited volumes based on our work on questions of mathematical practices and Society.

    • ⏰
      Public History

      Conversations and discussions about historical records and inscriptions with people from the regions to which these records relate. They take place in the communities’ own locales.

    • 🚀
      Projects

      List of funded projects we have carried out in relation to this archive and atlas.

    • 🖼️
      Presentations

      This is a list of presentation on our works on the archive and social history of mathematical practices given to various audiences around the world.

  • Historical Atlas 🗺️
    • 😉
      Want to create an Atlas ?

      How about learning to create an atlas ?

    • 💐
      Atlas Collections

      WORK IN PROGRESS !

      • 🔢
        Chettiar Accounting

        WORK IN PROGRESS !

      • 🫂
        Public History

        Explore our various field work experience and methods

      • ⚖️
        Medieval Measures

        Explore measures used in Medieval Chola Empire

      • 🛠️
        Practice @ Workplace

        Explore the documented workplace practices

    • 👀
      Atlas Themes

      WORK IN PROGRESS !

      • ⚖️
        Medieval Metrology

        How did Medieval working people measures things ?

      • 🪧
        Medieval Resistance

        Did people resisted ? Against what ?

      • 📈
        Brahmadeya Expansion

        Spatial reorganization during Medieval Cauvery Delta

      • 📑
        Mathematical Text

        Mathematics in Learning process

  • Story Scapes 📽️
    • 🛕
      Temple as an Archive

      Evidences of Agrarian Unrest in Medieval South India

    • 🪜
      Folding

      Folding Quantity and Quality of Land into a Single Index

    • 🐠
      Social life of Fishers' Metrology

      How does Fisher's metrology is intertwined in their practice (WIP)

    • 🧑🏽
      Tinnai School

      Making of a Measuring Public

    • 📏
      Standardization @ Madras

      Story of standardization in Madras presidency

  • About Us 🙌🏾
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Search the Collection

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Iron
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Paper
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Birch Bark
Agarwood Bark
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  • Cover Image
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    [Untitled]

    Oct 08, 2026
  • 1 aṇā

    1 aṇā

    Physical Object
    Round 1961
    May 11, 2024
  • 1 avuṉs eṭaikkal

    1 avuṉs eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
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    May 11, 2024
  • 1 cavaraṇ eṭaikkal

    1 cavaraṇ eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Round 1950
    May 11, 2024
  • 1 cavaraṇ eṭaikkal

    1 cavaraṇ eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Square
    May 11, 2024
  • 1 puḷḷi eṭaikkal

    1 puḷḷi eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Square 1950
    May 11, 2024
  • 1 tōlā eṭaikkal

    1 tōlā eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Square
    May 11, 2024
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    1.1 Pagalikkuttar temple inscription Kallidaikkurichchi

    Inscription
    1496 CE
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    1.1 Parakkai Inscriptions

    Inscription
    Tax-free
    Sep 22, 2026
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    1.2 Parakkai Inscriptions

    Inscription
    1452 CE
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    1.3 Cholapuram Inscriptions

    Inscription
    kārāņmai, mīyyātchi, karpūravilai, vetti, pattam, pañjupīli, sandhivigra-hapēru, sillirai, pattaraipēru, ponvari, kāriyavārātchi etc.
    1100 CE
  • 1/12 paicā aṇā

    1/12 paicā aṇā

    Physical Object
    King George VI Emperor Coin 1939, Round
    May 11, 2024
  • 1/2 avuṉs eṭaikkal

    1/2 avuṉs eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Round 1950
    May 06, 2024
  • 1/2 avuṉs eṭaikkal

    1/2 avuṉs eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Round 1950
    May 11, 2024
  • 1/2 cavaraṇ eṭaikkal

    1/2 cavaraṇ eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Square
    May 11, 2024
  • 1/2 cavaraṇ eṭaikkal

    1/2 cavaraṇ eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Square
    May 11, 2024
  • 1/2 tōlā eṭaikkal

    1/2 tōlā eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Square 1950
    May 11, 2024
  • 1/4 aṇā

    1/4 aṇā

    Physical Object
    Queen Victoria Coin 1892
    May 11, 2024
  • 1/4 tōlā eṭaikkal

    1/4 tōlā eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Round 1950
    May 12, 2024
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    10 Copper plate dated Kollam 778

    Inscription
    karai kaṭamai (28 and 34)
    1524 CE
  • 10 vīcam eṭaikkal

    10 vīcam eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Square
    May 11, 2024
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    11.34 Records dated in kollam 685

    Inscription
    1510 CE
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    12.35 Records of Adityavarman kollam 734

    Inscription
    1559 CE
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    13 Cape Comorin record of Rajaraja: 16th year

    Inscription
    ceṭṭiyāṉ (6)
    1001 CE
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    13.1 Kailasanatha temple inscriptions Brahmadesam

    Inscription
    iṭaṅkai valaṅkai (19)
    1550 CE
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    13.2 Kailasanatha temple inscriptions Brahmadesam

    Inscription
    1516 CE
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    13.36 Records of Adityavarman kollam 734

    Inscription
    1560 CE
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    14 Vadasseri record of Rajaraja: regnal year 16

    Inscription
    1003 CE
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    14.1 Pushpavanesvaram temple inscription Ten-Tribhuvanam

    Inscription
    māvaṭai maravaṭai (மாவடை மரவடை)
    1486 CE
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    15.1 Visvanathasvamin temple inscriptions Tenkasi

    Inscription
    piṭākai
    1547
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    15.2 Visvanathasvamin temple inscriptions Tenkasi

    Inscription
    1525 CE
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    15.45 Trivikramangalam records

    Inscription
    Sep 22, 2026
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    15.46 Trivikramangalam records

    Inscription
    Sep 22, 2026
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    15.47 Trivikramangalam records

    Inscription
    Sep 22, 2026
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    16.52 Tripunitura Record of Kodai Ravi 30 th year

    Inscription
    Gold (9, 10)
    Sep 22, 2026
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    17 Terur inscription of Rajendrasoladeva: 3rd year

    Inscription
    1015 CE
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    17.1 Appan temple inscription Shermadevi

    Inscription
    Music, Tax-free
    Sep 21, 2026
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    18 Cape Comorin record of Rajendra chola: 5th year

    Inscription
    1017 CE
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    18.1 Adinatha temple inscription Alvar-Tirunagari

    Inscription
    tiruvuṭaiyāṭṭam (5,7,8), மாய்வடை மறவடை (10)
    1547 CE
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    19.1 Adityavarmesvara temple inscription Melachcheval

    Inscription
    piṭākai
    1516 CE
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    19.59 A few records from Tirupparappu

    Inscription
    Sep 22, 2026
  • 2 cavaraṇ eṭaikkal

    2 cavaraṇ eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Round 1950
    May 06, 2024
  • 2 cavaraṇ eṭaikkal

    2 cavaraṇ eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Round 1950
    May 11, 2024
  • 2 pavuṉ eṭaikkal

    2 pavuṉ eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Square
    May 11, 2024
  • 2 puḷḷi ciṟu eṭaikkal

    2 puḷḷi ciṟu eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Round 2 dot small weighing stone
    May 11, 2024
  • 2 puḷḷi ciṟu eṭaikkal

    2 puḷḷi ciṟu eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Square 1950
    May 11, 2024
  • 2 puḷḷi eṭaikkal

    2 puḷḷi eṭaikkal

    Physical Object
    Square 1950
    May 11, 2024
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    2.1 Kulasekharam-udaiyar temple inscriptions Kallidaikkurichchi

    Inscription
    1532 CE
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    2.1 Record of Vira Ravi-Ravivarman: Kollam 640

    Inscription
    Tax (கடமை) etc.
    1465 CE
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    2.2 Kulasekharam-udaiyar temple inscriptions Kallidaikkurichchi

    Inscription
    1531 CE
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Archive of Mathematical Practices

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Knowledge as Practice and Practice as Knowledge

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  • Mathematical Practices Archive 🗄️
  • Collections 🔎
  • Research & Engagement 🧶
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French Institute of Pondicherry
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