Ancient
Inventions
Ever wondered how our lives would have been without inventions
like mobile phones, bus or door locks? Such lives would have been too much
difficult. Inventions not only made easier for us to survive but they also made
our lives quite adventurous too!
So lets take a look at some of the interesting
inventions which were invented in the ancient era.
Dugout Canoe
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| a canoe made from tree trunk |
The Dugout Canoe in its most basic form, is a hollowed out log, which is just a tree trunk laid down on its side with the interior material removed. The basic requirement was the hollowed log had to be big enough for at least one person to fit inside. Dugout canoes have been excavated from various locations in northern Europe and are the oldest form of boats ever discovered.
Note:- Before their arrival, there were no other forms of water travel in existence, only swimming and clinging to driftwood.
Toothpaste
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| toothpaste powder |
Yes. You are reading it right! toothpaste is a product invented in ancient period. The development of pastes designed to clean teeth and freshen the breath began in Egypt in 5000 B.C.E. In those days, Myrrh, volcanic pumice & the buried ashes of Ox hooves were mixed with crushed eggshells, oyster shells along with other fine abrasives and then applied to the scour teeth and to remove food and bacterial deposits. Tooth powder first become available in 18th century. In 1850s, chalk was added to act as a whitening agent and this marked the expansion of toothpaste's popularity.
Note:- In 1893, Colgate company began the mass production of aromatic toothpaste in jars.
Sword
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| A 18th century smallsword |
The word "sword" comes from the old English sweord meaning to wound or hurt. It is basically consists of a blade and a handle which is itself made up of a hilt, or a grip & a pommel and counterweight.
The Chinese single-edged steel sword appeared in 3rd century b.c.e. By Roman times, the hilt was different from the flat blade & by the European middle ages, it acquired its main basic shape.
Use of sword changed the shape the battles and wars through centuries around the world.
Note:- During the 17th and 18th centuries, the shorter "smallsword" became a fashion accessory.
Kite
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| Depiction of kite festival in ancient china |
The kite was first invented in China about 3000 years ago. The first recorded construction of kite was by the Chinese philosopher Mo Zi (470-391 b.c.e.) who spent three years in building it from wood. Records from ancient China mention some kites which were used to measure distances, to the test the wind, and to communicate during military operations.
Kites flown as hobby are particularly popular in Asia, where kite flying is a ritual incorporated into national festivals of many countries.
Note:- Kites have also been used in important scientific research, including Benjamin Franklin's famous experiment to prove that lightening is electricity.
Abacus
Year invented in:- 1000 B.C.E.
One of the earliest calculating instrument as we know it as abacus- was made up of wooden frame supporting wires or rods on which beads slide from side to side was developed in Mesopotamia. The calculations using abacus were in use long before the adaption of Hindu-Arabic numeral system. It is available in various forms and the easiest type of abacus to understand is the modern western version that uses a base of 10.
Abaci were widely used throughout the ancient world and are still important as a teaching aid in pre-school. The visuals of movement of beads makes it easier for children to understand number system.
Note:- The pattern of abacus was distinct from place to place. The Japanese soroban originally had a five-to-one bead distribution and the Russian schety followed the European pattern with ten beads to no bar.
Abacus
 |
| An ancient abacus from Japan |
One of the earliest calculating instrument as we know it as abacus- was made up of wooden frame supporting wires or rods on which beads slide from side to side was developed in Mesopotamia. The calculations using abacus were in use long before the adaption of Hindu-Arabic numeral system. It is available in various forms and the easiest type of abacus to understand is the modern western version that uses a base of 10.
Abaci were widely used throughout the ancient world and are still important as a teaching aid in pre-school. The visuals of movement of beads makes it easier for children to understand number system.
Note:- The pattern of abacus was distinct from place to place. The Japanese soroban originally had a five-to-one bead distribution and the Russian schety followed the European pattern with ten beads to no bar.