How Did Ancient Civilizations Count Without Numbers?

Imagine you're a farmer with no numbers, how would you count your sheep? Ancient people used things like sticks, stones, or even their fingers to keep track of things. If you had five cows, you might put five pebbles in a bag. Simple, right? Some groups counted by tying knots in ropes, like the Inca. Others used marks on walls or bones. It was like having a personal counting buddy that never got lost.