The earliest abacus dates to 2700 BC when it was used in Mesopotamia to calculate the Sumarian sexagesimal number system. Over the millennia, it was used in various forms by the Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Chinese, Romans, and many other civilizations. It is still used today as a teaching aid in many preschools and elementary schools. These darling abacus earrings (with moving steel beads!) represent both a love of mathematics and an important piece of math history, all in a fun piece of jewelry. They will delight math teachers and students alike! Each little abacus measures 20mm long, 12mm wide and has working steel beads. They are hung from surgical steel ear hooks. Perfect for: * Mathematicians & scientists * Math and science students * Math and science teachers * Abacists everywhere
