Did the number 16 have any significance before the shattering of Adonalsium?

[Rhi Bran he/him]

I'm curious if the number 16 is important to the cosmere because that's how many Shards Adonalsium shattered into or if the number 16 has a deeper importance and Adonalsium shattered into 16 Shards because of that deeper importance. 

[Fatling he/him]

Hard to say, hard to say... as of right now I don't know if we really know much of anything from before the shattering. Were I given to speculate I would say that the number sixteen was important even before Adonalsium shattered, but that's literally completely baseless guessing

[+Extesian he/him]

I love this question. My guess is it pre-dates Adonalsium because it seems that planets have their own special number naturally, independent of the Shard that invests there (nb it seems to me - we don't know for sure).

[+hwiles He/Him]

The significance of 16 is universal and pervasive in strange ways across the Cosmere and is not attributable to any one Shard.

It's probably not a coincidence that Adonalsium was shattered into 16 pieces, as that would be straining credulity. It may have just been because of the Vessels' superstition however, so it's pretty early to speculate.

The number 16 appears to have a "natural" significance IRL as well, which is probably what inspired Sanderson to use it. Google "hexadecimal," if you're curious.

[Calderis he/him]

I look at it this way... 

A group of of people came together and opposed a God. We know Hoid was offered a Shard and declined... It's implied that they knew how many Shards there would be and even to some extent what those intents are as we know Rayse chose Odium intentionally. 

I have no idea why it was, or what the significance is/was, but I'm pretty sure it was there. 

[Tsidqiyah he/him]

It should be noted that 16 has connections to the name of God in Hebraic numerology. but for that matter so does 42, and 15. We have seen other Hebraic connections to Adonalsium (Adonai being a name for God).