[MR] Ostomachion..Osto-what?

[Sandra Rangel]

Greetings,

Ever wanted a puzzle or game that was unique and challenging and probably
haven't heard of or maybe didn't know it could work as game in the SCA...
well have you heard or seen an "Ostomachion"? There are a few other names
for it such as loculus Archimedius, syntomachion, stomachion or 14-piece
Tangram. The Ostomachion is a 14 piece dissection puzzle that
is attributed to or "invented" by Archimedes of Syracuse who lived until
212 B.C at the age of 75. The "Archimedes Palimpsest" is said to contain
the earliest surviving written works of Archimedes to include this puzzle
along with many other mathematical works.

Constantine VII Porphyrogennitos, a Byzantine Emperor of the 10th century,
worked to recover the different works of Archimedes from various Greek
scrolls and created the Archimedes Palmpisest that we know today. However
it did not have a happy history after the 4th Crusade and the sack
of Constantinople in 1203 A.D. where the book's pages were cut apart, the
words scraped and pages were rewritten into a prayerbook called the
"Euchologion". But thanks to modern technology and the Walters Museum the
works of Archimedes have been discovered through restoration and imaging.

The math behind the puzzle:
http://www.maa.org/editorial/mathgames/mathgames_11_17_03.html
About the Palmpiset's travels:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/inside-archimedes-palimpsest.html

Definitely a great conversation piece as well as a challenging puzzle for
the office or reenactment event or just home.

Kind regards,

Lady Rohesia Anven of Thessaloniki
MoAS for Nottinghill Coill
Canton of Cyddlain Downs
http://sites.google.com/site/byzantinetimetraveller/<https://sites.google.com/site/byzantinetimetraveller/>