The Golden Ratio’s African Origins
The golden ratio (aka the divine ratio)—which formed the foundation for modern Swiss design—was long believed to have originated in Ancient Greece, but evidence suggests it was actually invented in Africa, where the golden ratio, rectangle and spiral were commonly used in almost every imaginable artistic medium. Whether on Kente cloth in Ghana or architecture in Cameroon, diverse sources support this claim. (Additionally, empirical measurements do not support the Greek origins, and “no Greek sources use the phrase ‘golden rectangle’ or suggest its use in design.) The most probable theory now is that 13th-century mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci, who studied in North Africa, brought the golden ratio back to Europe. Read the full story on The Conversation.
Image courtesy of Pbroks13 / Wiki Commons
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