TIPU SULTAN’S MAGIC BOX

Taken by General Robert Bell after Tipu Sultan’s defeat by the British at Seringapatam in May 1799, the definitive meaning of the numerals on the box has eluded scholars to date. The numerals are 11, 20, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91, 101, 201, 202, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701, 801 and 901. It is considered most likely that they represent complex mathematical calculations based on those of the ancient Greeks (Paris 2017, p.180). The exact purpose of this unique and extraordinary box, however, remains a mystery. The box originally contained two manuscript notes, one with a diagram of the 20 sides of the box, the other stating that the box was taken from the treasury of Tipu Sultan (Beijing 2018, p.230).