Ancient Mesopotamia

Mathematics and the Gods in Mesopotamia

In ancient Mesopotamia, mathematics was not only used for counting or measuring — it was also a way to get closer to the gods. Priests used calculations to build temples with “perfect” measurements, because they believed that order and precision pleased the gods.

They also used math to organize calendars and decide when to hold religious festivals or plant crops, following the will of the gods. For the Mesopotamians, understanding numbers was a way to understand the order of the universe created by the gods.