The ancient system of finger counting made it possible to represent numbers from 1 to 1,000,000 using only the hands. One of the earliest complete descriptions of this system was written by Bede the Venerable. Later versions differed slightly from Bede’s account, but all shared a broadly similar decimal and positional structure.
To form any number on the fingers, the gestures for each place value are combined according to the rules described below. For example, the gesture for 153 is formed by combining the gestures for 100, 50, and 3: on the right hand, the nail of the index finger rests in the middle of the thumb (100); on the left hand, the thumb is bent toward the palm in the shape of the Greek letter gamma (50), while the little, ring, and middle fingers are bent inward and held against the center of the palm (3).
UNITS
Units are performed on the left hand, using the small, ring, and middle fingers.
By default, all fingers are extended.
One (1) – Small finger bent and fixed in the middle of the palm.
Two (2) – Small and ring fingers bent and fixed in the middle of the palm.
Three (3) – Small, ring, and middle fingers bent and fixed in the middle of the palm.
Four (4) – Ring and middle fingers bent and fixed in the middle of the palm.
Five (5) – Middle finger bent and fixed in the middle of the palm.
Six (6) – Ring finger bent and fixed in the middle of the palm.
Seven (7) – Small finger bent and fixed in the base of the palm.
Eight (8) – Small and ring fingers bent and fixed in the base of the palm.
Nine (9) – Small, ring, and middle fingers bent and fixed in the base of the palm.
TENS
Tens are performed on the left hand, using the thumb and index finger.
By default, all fingers are extended.
Ten (10) – Nail of the index finger fixed in the middle of the thumb.
Twenty (20) – Tip of the thumb placed between the middle joints of the index and middle fingers.
Thirty (30) – Tips of the index finger and thumb joined.
Forty (40) – Underside of the thumb placed along the side or back of the upright index finger.
Fifty (50) – Thumb bent like the Greek letter gamma (Γ) toward the palm.
Sixty (60) – Thumb bent like the Greek letter gamma (Γ) toward the palm, encircled by the index finger, curved forward.
Seventy (70) – Thumb extended with nail upright, inserted through the index finger, curved forward.
Eighty (80) – Tip of the extended thumb fixed in the middle of the index finger, curved forward.
Ninety (90) – Bent index finger’s nail fixed into the base of the thumb.
HUNDREDS
Hundreds are performed on the right hand, using the thumb and index finger.
By default, all fingers are extended.
One hundred (100) – Nail of the index finger fixed in the middle of the thumb.
Two hundred (200) – Tip of the thumb placed between the middle joints of the index and middle fingers.
Three hundred (300) – Tips of the index finger and thumb joined.
Four hundred (400) – Underside of the thumb placed along the side or back of the upright index finger.
Five hundred (500) – Thumb bent like the Greek letter gamma (Γ) toward the palm.
Six hundred (600) – Thumb bent like the Greek letter gamma (Γ) toward the palm, encircled by the index finger, curved forward.
Seven hundred (700) – Thumb extended with nail upright, inserted through the index finger, curved forward.
Eight hundred (800) – Tip of the extended thumb fixed in the middle of the index finger, curved forward.
Nine hundred (900) – Bent index finger’s nail fixed into the base of the thumb.
THOUSANDS
Thousands are performed on the right hand, using the small, ring, and middle fingers.
By default, all fingers are extended.
One thousand (1000) – Small finger bent and fixed in the middle of the palm.
Two thousand (2000) – Small and ring fingers bent and fixed in the middle of the palm.
Three thousand (3000) – Small, ring, and middle fingers bent and fixed in the middle of the palm.
Four thousand (4000) – Ring and middle fingers bent and fixed in the middle of the palm.
Five thousand (5000) – Middle finger bent and fixed in the middle of the palm.
Six thousand (6000) – Ring finger bent and fixed in the middle of the palm.
Seven thousand (7000) – Small finger bent and fixed in the base of the palm.
Eight thousand (8000) – Small and ring fingers bent and fixed in the base of the palm.
Nine thousand (9000) – Small, ring, and middle fingers bent and fixed in the base of the palm.
TENS OF THOUSANDS
Tens of thousands are performed with the left hand placed against the body.
Ten thousand (10,000) – Back of the hand placed on the chest, with fingers pointing upward toward the neck.
Twenty thousand (20,000) – Back of the hand placed on the chest, spread out sideways.
Thirty thousand (30,000) – Palm placed on the chest, with the thumb pressed against the breastbone.
Forty thousand (40,000) – Back of the hand placed on the belly.
Fifty thousand (50,000) – Palm placed on the belly, with thumb pressed against the belly button.
Sixty thousand (60,000) – Palm grasping the left thigh from above.
Seventy thousand (70,000) – Back of the hand, placed over the left thigh.
Eighty thousand (80,000) – Palm laid on the left thigh.
Ninety thousand (90,000) – Hand grasping the hip, with the thumb turned toward the groin.
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
Hundreds of thousands are performed with the right hand placed against the body.
One hundred thousand (100,000) – Back of the hand placed on the chest, with fingers pointing upward toward the neck.
Two hundred thousand (200,000) – Back of the hand placed on the chest, spread out sideways.
Three hundred thousand (300,000) – Palm placed on the chest, with thumb pressed against the breastbone.
Four hundred thousand (400,000) – Back of the hand placed on the belly.
Five hundred thousand (500,000) – Palm placed on the belly, with thumb pressed against the belly button.
Six hundred thousand (600,000) – Palm grasping the right thigh from above.
Seven hundred thousand (700,000) – Back of the hand, placed over the right thigh.
Eight hundred thousand (800,000) – Palm laid on the right thigh.
Nine hundred thousand (900,000) – Hand grasping the hip, with the thumb turned toward the groin.
ONE MILLION
One million (1,000,000) – Both hands intertwined together, with the fingers of each inserted into the other.
The gestures described here follow Bede’s account.
Fibonacci’s version differs slightly in several respects: it covers a smaller numerical range (only numbers below 10,000), includes some variations in individual gestures, and reverses the positions of the hundreds and thousands. In Fibonacci’s system, the hundreds are represented on the little, ring, and middle fingers, while the thousands are shown on the thumb and index finger.
Fibonacci’s version became the standard in the early modern period, but throughout the Middle Ages, Bede’s version — which is closer to the ancient Roman form — remained more widely used.