History & Science of Knots (V11)

by John C Turner (Editor), Pieter Van De Griend (Editor)

This book brings together twenty essays on diverse topics in the history and science of knots. It is divided into five parts, which deal respectively with knots in prehistory and antiquity, non-European traditions, working knots, the developing science of knots, and decorative and other aspects of knots.Its authors include archaeologists who write on knots found in digs of ancient sites (one describes the knots used by the recently discovered Ice Man); practical knotters who have studied the history and uses of knots at sea, for fishing and for various life support activities; a historian of lace; a computer scientist writing on computer classification of doilies; and mathematicians who describe the history of knot theories from the eighteenth century to the present day.In view of the explosion of mathematical theories of knots in the past decade, with consequential new and important scientific applications, this book is timely in setting down a brief, fragmentary history of mankind

464 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1996

Reviews

[Shayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome! It was surprising in its scope, and I was surprised to find that it is a collection of "essays" (really monographs) by a number of knot-interested people, including the ever-present Geoffrey Budworth.