Abstract
In 1988, the American mathematician Thomas Storer (1938–2006) published a long article on string figures in which he developed several different mathematical approaches. Thus, he introduced the notion of the Heart-sequence of a string figure, which allows a better understanding of the impact of the sub-procedures on a particular configuration of the string. When the string goes around a finger it forms a “loop”. The idea is to focus on the movements of the loops without taking into account the ways in which the fingers operate on it. By focusing on these movements during the process, and by converting them into a mathematical formula, the heart-sequence gives a “topological” view of a string figure algorithm.
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Notes
- 1.
For unknown reason, Storer wrote “i” instead of “I” as the first personal pronoun.
- 2.
Two other editions followed in 1996 and 2000.
- 3.
- 4.
I will not discuss here this hypothesis. The reader will find interesting discussions about this hypothetical oldest description of a string figure, in a paper by Lawrence G. Miller entitled “The Earliest(?) Description of a String Figure” (Miller 1945), and in an article by Joseph D’Antoni entitled “Plinthios Brokhos, The Earliest Account of a string figure construction” (D’Antoni 1997). In these papers, both authors interpreted a description of a Brokhos (Greek word for bandage noose) called Plinthios, which is a knotting procedure leading to a rhomboidal shape. The discussion is based on a literal translation of Bussemaker and Daremberg’s French translation (Bussemaker & Daremberg, Oeuvre d’Oribase, Paris, 1862, 6 volumes) of the original Greek text by Oribasius, of which the oldest extant copy is the Laurentian Library MS. 74.7, sometimes called Codex of Nicetas. Storer asserts that “we cannot know [for certain] Heraklas’ method of construction” and does not actually follow the interpretation of these authors. Therefore, Storer gives another construction which leads to a similar rhomboidal design that he certainly thought more accurate for his discussion.
- 5.
Storer refers to C.L. Day, Quipus and Witches Knots, p. 124, where this figure appears as n∘13, the “4-loop Plinthios Brokhos” or “4-loop bandage noose”.
- 6.
See the web site of the association: http//www.isfa.org
- 7.
The expression “Proximal 1 loops” means “both (right and left) lower 1 loops” symbolized l1∞ by Storer.
- 8.
See the definition of “drawing” of the final figure in Sect. 3.4.1 The point is to extract the geometric design of a final figure without taking into account the exact path of the string.
- 9.
- 10.
From Position I, the right index starts moving first instead of the left one, then picks up the opposite palmar string.
- 11.
For that reason, I will refer to this opening as “Opening A m ” in Part IV of this book.
References
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Vandendriessche, E. (2015). Thomas Storer and the Concept of Heart-Sequence. In: String Figures as Mathematics?. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, vol 36. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11994-6_5
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