written.institute
០១២៣៤៥៦៧៨៩

Khmer numerals

A place-value system in base 10, with a zero.

StructurePositional — a digit's value depends on the column it sits in
Base10
ZeroYes — a true zero, holding an empty place
RegionCambodia
Datesthe Khmer zero of 683 CE is among the oldest dated zeros anywhere
UnicodeU+17E0–U+17E9
Status living

Curatorial note

The floor's quiet landmark. An inscription from Sambor, dated 683 CE, carries a dot used as a positional zero — one of the oldest securely dated zeros in the world, older than any surviving Indian manuscript instance. The stone was lost during the Khmer Rouge period and later recovered.

Specimen

The digits, at size
56 ០១២៣៤៥៦៧៨៩
40 ០១២៣៤៥៦៧៨៩
26 ០១២៣៤៥៦៧៨៩
17 ០១២៣៤៥៦៧៨៩

Where this sits

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