Crest of the Peacock
It is true that for much of my life, not until university, I too thought of math as a very Eurocentric discovery. We always learned about famous mathematicians their names of European descent and the reverence for Ancient Greeks and their contribution to culture. I remember learning in Grade 10, learning about Pythagoras' Theorem and how it was named after an ancient mathematician. It is just an example I remember. So it is surprising to see that even the Ancient Greeks acknowledged their predecessor but this was lost in translation. I find it surprising that the western world holds Ancient Greek so close, almost as if it must defend her honor. Whereas even the Ancient Greeks acknowledge the ones before them for their knowledge.
I am also intrigued by the flow of information and knowledge process created. How it went from Ancient Egyptians (Africa), Mesopotamian ( with India and China), to Ancient Greek, how the Hellenistic was passed to the Arab World to refine, to the Spanish and then the Western world in time for a renaissance. This is fascinating as it shows the spread of ideas throughout history (Joseph, 1991, pp. 1-22). The idea is that between all these cultures, geographical landscapes, and people, the communication of mathematics has only ever progressed and refined.
Another fact that surprises and fascinates me are their use of mathematics and astronomy. For instance, even with the most rudimentary instruments, the Maya understood celestial movements, accurately estimating solar, lunar, and planetary cycles. They had the calendar construction more advanced than anything in Europe at that time (Joseph, 1991, pp. 22). I recall from cultural relations as an Indian being told that we had calculated the distance from the sun to earth before anyone else. The point I am trying to make is, that there is no such culture that is superior. It is fascinating but not surprising to see that many cultures have their own methods, calculations, and observations in math and science that only benefit the ones that study them.
Aakriti, It is so interesting that you mention a learned "reverence" for Ancient Greek mathematicians. I like that you recognize how digging into the origins of mathematics is an unravelling of communications between multiple places and people. And, there are always new discoveries or interpretations. Many 'big' names in the history of mathematics (like Pythagorus) are a result of one person gathering the work of many, having it written down, and having the writing survive to be read many years later.
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