Ancient Inventions: I

About two decades ago, a newly published book changed readers’ perceptions about science and technology. It provided information obtained through archaeological findings and ancient texts and manuscripts about discoveries and inventions of the ancient times. By reading this book, one discovers that some of the major technological advances attributed to recent times are in fact resurfacing of innovations of ancient world. In the introduction section of the book, a philosopher of the seventeenth century, Francis Bacon, is quoted from one of his writings as follows: “We should note the force, effect and consequences of inventions, which are nowhere more conspicuous than in those which were unknown to the ancients, namely printing, gunpowder and the compass. For these three have changed the appearance and state of the whole world (P. XXII).” The book continues to comment on this claim by stating: “In fact all three had long histories before Bacon’s time- but in China, not in the medieval West (P. XXIII).” As such, the book opens a window to the misconception widely believed by Westerners that since the modern technology is dominated by the West, advancements in science and technology has always been a property of the Western World. We learn through this book that many of the recent day innovations are in fact reinvention of what was once in common use in ancient China, India, Egypt, or in great empires of the Eastern World such as Iran and Byzantine, or of the Western World such as Greece and Rome. There are also discussions about common use items of our time which are in fact as a result of inventions and discoveries of ancient people. Neil deGrasse Tyson once explained in a speech the reason for the decline of science and technology (namely astronomy) of so called Islamic world, the knowledge which had been unknown to the West because of the church prohibition of science, and which suddenly vanished from the Islamic world and never recommenced, again as a result of religious dogmatism and monopoly of power. According to Tyson; "Imam Ghazali, a 12th century Muslim scholar, philosophized that mathematics was work of the devil...and as a result, the entire foundation of that intellectual enterprise collapsed, and has not recovered since (The Erosion of Progress by Religion; Naming Rights- can be located on YouTube)."  Ancient Inventions discloses amazing and enlightening information such as invention of speedometer, contraceptives, kites, rocket launcher, and many other advanced technologies by ancient civilizations. There are also discoveries showing ancient civilizations' advancements in medical operations such as plastic and brain surgery.

The book is divided into twelve chapters, each describing inventions in certain category. The first chapter discusses discoveries of ancient times in the field of medicine. Some archaeological findings suggest that prehistoric Neanderthals of fifty to eighty thousand years ago were so passionate about each other that when one was handicapped, the rest took care of him by providing him with food and other necessities. There is evidence that suggests that they did some surgical operation on him to keep him alive longer. Some operations are depicted in Egyptian relieves of 2500 BC, such as circumcision. In some other Egyptian relieves dating back to 100 BC, drawings of familiar surgical equipment such as probe, forceps, saws, retractor, cautery, bandage, flask, scales, medicinal plants, shears, sponge, variety of scalpels, and cupping vessels (for drawing blood) are found. Almost all these tools are used today for different operations and in different parts of the world. Some acutre and precise surgeries such as cataract operation was customary in Ancient Rome, as plastic surgery was in India of the last few centuries BC. A surprising discovery mentioned in this chapter is the stitching technique Hindus invented: “The instrument used were large Bengali ants, placed side by side along the opening. The ants clamped the wound shut with their jaws; the surgeon then cut away their bodies, leaving only the heads behind… The ants’ heads would gradually dissolve and the wound healed (P.16&17).” False teeth and false limbs were also found by archaeologists, suggesting popularity of organ transplant and dentistry in the ancient times. However, the most interesting surgery discovered is brain surgery: “In 1865 an archaeologist investigating a Stone Age tomb in Southern France uncovered a curious human skull. A large piece of bone had been sawed out of the cranium, and one edge of the hole appeared to have been polished. .. Early scholars usually saw our prehistoric ancestors as barbarous savages who would have enjoyed nothing better than quaffing some primitive brew from the skulls of their defeated enemies…When it was sent to the laboratory of Professor Paul Broca…he stated that...the polished edge was actually regrowth of the bone tissue after cutting… During the Late Stone Age surgical operations were being performed on the human skull (P.24).”

Second chapter of the book discusses ancient transportation. It seems from a painting on the walls of a cave in France that horses were widely used as a mode of transportation over 17,000 years ago. In addition to domestication of horses and other animals, invention of other modes of transportation such as wheeled vehicles and skis and skates are discussed in this chapter as well. The history of transportation related innovations, such as map making, measuring speed (odometers), compass, wind cars and rocket cars, ships and liners and paddle boats and super freighters, canal making, compass, lighthouses, diving gears, kites and gliders and balloons, are all investigated and discussed in this chapter. One interesting fact relates to diving equipment and its history: “subsequent references to breathing tubes and masks occur in German ballads of the twelfth century A.D. and later on in Chinese account of pearl divers from the island of Hainan off the southern coast. Indeed the most detailed of the medieval accounts of diving apparatus concerns new equipment being used by pearl divers in the Arabian Gulf [Persian Gulf]. Early in the eleventh century the scientist al-Biruni [Iranian born] described how the divers fixed around their chests a leather hood that was filled with air before descent. He suggested that the apparatus could be improved by linking it to the surface and a permanent source of air… (P.103)”

One of the most interesting chapters in this book is titled “High Tech”. Content of this chapter is surprising because many mechanical and electrical marvels, which one would think of them as 20th century novelties, are discovered to have originated in ancient times. Invention of gear, screw, pulley, crank, magnet, steam, lens, lead to creation of very impressive marvels by some geniuses of the old times. Automata, steam engine, clock, earthquake detector, electric batteries, lightning rods, magnifying glasses, and even computers are some of the creative inventions of the ancient times. The story of the computer is with suspense and apprehension: “During Easter 1900… a party of Greek sponge fishermen…on the almost uninhabited islet of Antikythera…they were amazed to discover the wreck of a huge ship…a whole series of gearwheels… was revealed… In 1951, when Professor Derek de Solla Price, of Yale University, took an interest in the Antikythera mystery… The Antikythera mechanism turned out to be a complex computer for calculating the calendars of the sun and moon (P. 121&122&123).”

Sex Life is the subject of the next chapter. Human being has been concerned about sexuality as far as the history can reveal. It seems from historical records that people were more comfortable with their sexuality in ancient times, than they are today. The joy of sex is in our genes for reproductive purposes. However, in different times and different societies presentation or even acknowledgement of eroticism was prohibited. The inhibition is usually in the form of a religious instruction, as physical enjoyment is considered unholy. There are of course religions which endorse sexual acts and promote sexuality as the only means of reproduction and continuation of human race. A good example is sculptures and statues carved on the temple at Khajuraho in western India. However, If proliferation is the main reason for sexual pleasure, what about asexual creatures, such as amoeba, or hermaphroditic organisms, such as worms, or homosexuality? “In 1977 fourteen percent of the gulls on an island off the coast of California were found to be lesbians (P.166).” Homosexuality has been much more accepted (and even encouraged) in ancient times, especially in Greece. On the other hand, although monogamy is the accepted marital status among most societies (and some animals), polygamy has been the norm in many societies and according to their religion. Temporary wifes in some sects of Islam and concubines among courtiers have also been accepted in many monogamist and polygamist societies.  Having extra marital affairs have never been, and still is not, forbidden for men, while they are absolutely uncommon for women! Prostitution is considered the oldest profession, as historical documents reflect popularity and socially accepted business of brothel shops in the past. In addition to uncovering these issues, this chapter of the book talks about human sexuality, castration, aphrodisiacs, dildos, contraceptives, condoms, pregnancy tests, and sex manuals in ancient times. We also learn very interesting facts: “Understanding of sexuality in the ancient world extended far beyond the obvious physiological differences between men and women. Pregnancy tests used by the ancient Egyptians as early as the thirteenth century B.C. show that they already had a practical grasp of some rudimentary biochemical laws. In ancient China such knowledge was incredibly advanced… by the second century A.D. the Chinese seem to have been extracting sex and pituitary-gland hormones from human urine for use in various medical preparations (P.175).”