# How did ancient people count with their hands? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 14, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-ancient-people-count-with-their-hands/625096 "2012-06-14T01:19:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-ancient-people-count-with-their-hands/625096/1 "2012-06-14T01:19:46Z")
How did ancient people count with their hands? I found this description on a Straight Dope site, but there appears to be something wrong with the phrasing. “And the outside surfaces of each hand, two per hand. That gives six counting points per hand “（see full quotation below”) The four spaces between the fingers I understand. Where are the other sites on the surface of the hand that make up 6 counting points per hand? “The ancients counted on the spaces between the fingers. four spaces per hand, eight total. And the outside surfaces of each hand, two per hand. That gives six counting points per hand and twelve total. For them base twelve is equally natural.” davidmich ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-ancient-people-count-with-their-hands/625096/2 "2012-06-14T02:46:16Z")
Reported for triplicate thread. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-ancient-people-count-with-their-hands/625096/3 "2012-06-14T03:01:12Z")
Duplicate thread. Closed.