Abstract: This webinar will briefly discuss the history of the number zero inscribed on an ancient stele in Cambodia—arguably the oldest representation of zero ever found and dated definitively. This use of zero, which dates to 605 of the Chaka eras or 687 CE, was originally found in a temple within the Trepang Prei archaeological site in the 19th century. Georges Cœdès translated the stele in 1931 from the ancient Khmer and labeled it K127. Although thought lost or destroyed during the reign of the Khmer Rouge, the stele containing the zero was rediscovered through the research of Amir D. Aczel, and is now displayed in the National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. We will discuss why this discovery of zero is important within the history of mathematics, as well as its wider cultural and historical significance, and how the ability to represent and use zero as a numeral led to advanced mathematics. We will also consider how the zero likely developed within the Indianized pre-Khmer civilization and how it may have been important in the subsequent development of advanced astronomical calculations and engineering accomplishments. Finally, we will touch on next steps needed for further research on the Cambodian zero to learn more about its origins, as well as how it relates to other discovered representations of zero.

Photography in Cambodia is a treasure trove of more than 340 photographs sourced from international archives, libraries, galleries, and unseen private collections. The photographs and accompanying texts give a fresh perspective on Cambodia’s emergence into its uneasy twenty-first-century peace.

There are photographs taken by both foreign visitors to the country—early explorers, travelers, photojournalists, the colonial elite, and tourists—and photographs taken by Cambodians themselves of their everyday lives, all of which capture the essence of Cambodia’s journey.

This presentation is a mini performance, followed by a talk on Mr. Coffill’s research direction in amassing a huge array of photographs to build his book. There will be a Q&A, book give away and special discount. The author will be available to sign book copies, and a limited-edition postcard from the book will be available for guests.

English