The Sumerians developed a base 60 counting system, which was used for measuring time. This base 60 system is still seen today in measuring minutes and seconds.
The sexagesimal system started with simple clay tokens pressed into tablets, each indicating a distinct quantity. The Sumerians took advantage of the 60s’ miraculous power to divide evenly in a variety of ways. They might count the hours of the day, measure the angles of stars in the night sky, or split their crops equally. They even measured weights in units that broke down exactly into the 60s, such as a kakkaru, a heavy weight that could be divided into 60 minas, which could then be divided into 60 shekels.
The Sumerians and their successors, the Babylonians, discovered that 60 was ideal for dividing the sky into sectors, resulting in the 360-degree circle that we still use to chart the stars and traverse the Earth. As they looked up at the stars, they understood that this method may help them trace the movements of the celestial bodies that regulated their calendars and seasons, connecting the cosmos’ rhythms to their daily lives.
This ancient Sumerian system’s effect can still be seen today. 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 360 degrees in a circle—all stem from the Sumerian innovation of counting in sixty, which sprang from a desire for precision in trade and a fascination with the heavens.