All topics
Every guide on the site, grouped by topic. 154 articles and counting.
Philosophy, Form and Folklore
Ideas about number in geometry, philosophy and folk belief.
Pythagoras and Sacred Geometry
- The Symbolism of the Number 6 in Pythagorean Philosophy and Culture
- The Ancient Significance of the Number 6 in Pythagorean Philosophy
- The Hidden Meaning Behind the Number 4 in Sacred Geometry
- The Mystical Significance of the Number 3 in Sacred Geometry and Spirituality
- The Mystical Significance of the Number 4 in Sacred Geometry
- The Platonic Solids and the Elements
- The Symbolism of the Number 6 in Sacred Geometry and Culture
- The Tetractys and the Pythagorean Oath
Folklore and Pattern Seeking
Traditions Around the World
How specific cultures and religions treated numbers.
Chinese Lucky Numbers
- The Cultural Impact of the Number 8 in Chinese and Feng Shui Culture
- Chinese Number Homophones from Six to Nine
- How the Number 8 Influences Success and Abundance
- The Cultural Impact of the Number 8 in Modern Society
- The Cultural Impact of the Number 8 in Modern Society and Business
- The Double Ninth Festival
- The Hidden Meaning Behind the Number 8 in Feng Shui and Chinese Culture
Ancient Near East and Mediterranean
- The Significance of the Number 7 in Ancient Cultures
- Exploring the Symbolism of the Number 6 in Ancient Mythology
- The Cultural Significance of the Number 9 in Various Traditions
- The Hidden Meaning Behind the Number 5 in Ancient Cultures and Mythology
- The Nine Worlds and Nine Nights in Norse Myth
- The Significance of the Number 9 in Ancient Greek and Roman Mythology
- The Significance of the Number 9 in Ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian Cultures
- The Symbolism of the Number 6 in Ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian Cultures
- The Twelve Olympians and the Labors of Heracles
Dharmic Thought, Duality and Zero
- The Symbolism of the Number 0 in Eastern and Western Cultures
- The Ancient Significance of the Number 2 in Dualistic Cultures
- The Eightfold Path and Numbered Teachings in Buddhism
- The Number 108 in Dharmic Traditions
- The Power of the Number 0 in Eastern and Western Cultures
- The Significance of the Number 9 in Buddhist and Hindu Traditions
- The Symbolism of the Number 2 in Dualistic Cultures and Religions
- The Symbolism of the Number 9 in Buddhist and Hindu Traditions
Numbers in Indigenous and Regional Traditions
- Sacred Numbers in Mesoamerica
- Four Sacred Directions in Navajo Tradition
- Ifa Divination and the 256 Odu of the Yoruba
- Maya Numerals and the Shell Zero
- Tawantinsuyu and the Fourfold Inca Realm
- The Amesha Spentas of Zoroastrianism
- The Aztec Tonalpohualli and the 260-Day Count
- The Four-Day Market Week of the Igbo
- The Seven Lucky Gods of Japan
Numerology and Astrology
The history and claims of modern number belief systems.
Numerology Core Digits
- The Mystical Significance of the Number 3 in Numerology and Spirituality
- Chaldean Numerology and Its Letter Table
- How the Number 1 Represents Leadership and Individuality
- How the Number 4 Represents Practicality and Hard Work
- How the Number 4 Represents Stability and Structure
- How the Number 4 Represents Structure and Organization
- The Number 2 and Its Connection to Balance and Harmony
- The Number 2 and Its Connection to Partnership and Relationships
- The Number 3 and Its Connection to Creativity and Manifestation
Spiritual Numbers: Five, Seven, Zero
- The Power of the Number 5 in Numerology and Spirituality
- How the Number 5 Represents Change and Transformation
- The Hidden Meaning Behind the Number 5 in Numerology and Astrology
- The Hidden Meaning Behind the Number 5 in Numerology and Spirituality
- The Number 7 and Its Connection to Spiritual Awakening
- The Number 7 and Its Connection to Spiritual Awakening and Enlightenment
- The Number 7 and Its Connection to Spiritual Growth and Development
- The Power of the Number 0 in Numerology and Spirituality
Astrology and Master Numbers
Counting, Numerals and Mathematics
How numbers were written, spoken, counted and studied across history.
Numeral Systems Through History
- A History of Numerals Across Civilizations
- Attic Greek Acrophonic Numerals
- Babylonian Cuneiform Place Value
- Chinese Rod Numerals and Counting Boards
- Egyptian Hieroglyphic Numerals and Their Unit Signs
- Fibonacci and the Spread of Arabic Numerals in Europe
- Greek Alphabetic Numerals and the Milesian System
- How Brahmi Numerals Became Hindu-Arabic Digits
- Roman Numerals and How They Were Used
Counting Systems and Bases
- How Humans Counted Before Written Numbers
- Base 12 and the Duodecimal Tradition
- Base 20 Counting in Basque, Georgian and Yoruba
- Body Counting Systems of Papua New Guinea
- Finger Reckoning in Medieval Europe and Bede
- Leibniz, the I Ching and Binary Notation
- Quipu and the Knotted Cord Records of the Inca
- The Abacus from Suanpan to Soroban
- The Ishango Bone and Early Tally Marks
Number Words and Language
- Where Number Words Come From
- Dual and Trial Number in Grammar
- Indo-European Numerals and Their Shared Roots
- Languages With Few Number Words
- Numeral Classifiers in Chinese, Japanese and Korean
- Ordinal Numbers and the Words for First and Second
- Sino-Japanese and Native Japanese Number Readings
- Why Eleven and Twelve Are Irregular in English
- Why French Says Quatre-Vingts
- Words Derived From Numbers like Decimate and Quarantine
Mathematical Curiosities in History
- Famous Number Sequences and Their Histories
- Approximations of Pi Through the Ages
- Fibonacci Numbers Before Fibonacci
- Irrational Numbers and the Legend of Hippasus
- Magic Squares from the Lo Shu to Durer
- Negative Numbers in Chinese and Indian Mathematics
- Perfect and Amicable Numbers in Greek Mathematics
- Prime Numbers and Euclid
- The Golden Ratio from Euclid to Pacioli
- Triangular and Square Numbers as Figurate Numbers
Scripture, Letters and Calendars
Numbers in sacred texts, alphabets used as numerals, and calendars of the world.
Numbers in Jewish and Biblical Texts
- Numbers in the Hebrew Bible
- Chai and the Number Eighteen in Jewish Custom
- Counting the Omer
- Forty Days and Forty Years in Scripture
- Gematria and Hebrew Letter Values
- Jubilee and Sabbatical Years
- Seven Days of Creation and the Sabbath
- The Number of the Beast and Its Textual Variants
- The Ten Sefirot in Kabbalah
- The Twelve Tribes of Israel and the Twelve Apostles
Numbers in Christian and Islamic Tradition
- Sacred Numbers in Christian Thought
- Abjad Numerals in Arabic Writing
- Augustine on Number and Divine Order
- Dante and the Numerical Design of the Divine Comedy
- Rosary Beads and Prayer Counting
- The Five Pillars of Islam
- The Ninety-Nine Names of God in Islam
- The Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Virtues
- The Seven Heavens in Islamic Cosmology
- The Trinity and the Number Three in Early Christian Writing
Calendars and Cycles of Time
- How Calendars Gave Numbers Meaning
- Egyptian Decans and the Division of the Day
- Hindu Yugas and Cosmic Ages
- Leap Years and the Gregorian Reform
- Origins of the Seven-Day Week
- The Chinese Sexagenary Cycle
- The Hijri Calendar and the Twelve Lunar Months
- The Maya Long Count
- The Metonic Cycle and Nineteen Year Calendars
- The Roman Calendar and Its Twelve Months
Customs, Luck and Everyday Belief
Lucky and unlucky numbers, rituals and ordinary customs built around counting.
Lucky and Unlucky Numbers by Culture
- Lucky and Unlucky Numbers Around the World
- Nine as an Auspicious Number in Thailand
- Numbers in Nursery Rhymes
- Odd Numbers and Luck in Roman Belief
- The Number Forty in Turkish and Middle Eastern Folk Custom
- The Origins of Lucky Seven
- The Rule of Three in Folk Tales and Rhetoric
- Triskaidekaphobia and Building Floor Numbering
- Tuesday the 13th in Greek and Spanish Tradition
- Why Seventeen Is Unlucky in Italy
Numbers in Customs and Ritual
- Numbers in Rituals and Customs
- Anniversary Names from Paper to Diamond
- Cities of Seven Hills
- Coming of Age Ages Across Cultures
- Counting-Out Rhymes like Eeny Meeny
- Gross, Score and Dozen as Traditional Counts
- Mourning Periods from Shiva to Forty Days
- The Bakers Dozen and Medieval Bread Law
- The Nine Tailors and Change Ringing