Photo taken on May. 17, 2012 shows a giant rosewood abacus at an abacus museum in Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province. The traditional use of the abacus for calculating in China was newly added to the list of the World's Intangible Cultural Heritage, announced the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Dec. 4. (Xinhua/Xu Congjun)

Zhusuan, the Chinese traditional method of calculations using the abacus, has been listed as a UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The decision was made during UNESCO's 8th intergovernmental Council in Azerbaijan. The abacus, called Suanpan in Chinese, is considered the world's most ancient computer. It has a history of more than 18 hundred years.

The Chinese Zhusuan is the 30th item in China to make the list, the greatest number of any country. Japanese cuisine, including sushi and the traditional food preparation methods and culture, has also been listed.