Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which mathematical instruments did Gerbert of Aurillac make or study?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Sylvester II
Sylvester II, detail from the ivory vessel used at the consecration of Otto III, 996; in the Domschatzkammer des Aachener Domes, Aachen, Ger.
Gerbert of Aurillac, who later became Pope Sylvester II, was a renowned scholar who studied and constructed several mathematical and scientific instruments to aid in education and research. His work included:
- Timekeeping: He constructed a timepiece known as a horologium.1
- Astronomy: He utilized celestial globes, a hemisphere designed for learning imaginary celestial circles, and auxiliary spheresāone for identifying constellations and another representing planetary orbits. Additionally, he acquired an astrolabe and authored works regarding its use.1
- Mathematics: He introduced a type of abacus that utilized stones marked with Hindu-Arabic numerals, a system he had encountered while studying in Spain.12
- Music: He is credited with constructing several organs and a monochord, which he used for the study of music theory.1
Beyond these instruments, Gerbert also devised practical educational tools, such as a chart for learning rhetoric, and authored significant treatises on geometry and the abacus.1