Maths first arose from the practical need to measure time and to count. The earliest evidence of primitive forms of counting occurs in notched bones and scored pieces of wood and stone. Early uses of geometry are revealed in patterns found on ancient cave walls and pottery.
As civilisations arose in Asia and the Near East, sophisticated number systems and basic knowledge of arithmetic, geometry, and algebra began to develop.
To find out about how Maths developed in different eras, click on any of the following: