2. Ancient Technology in World History
Technology & Engineering
Conceptual Strand
Society benefits when engineers apply scientific discoveries to design materials and
processes that develop into enabling technologies.
Guiding Question
How do science concepts, engineering skills, and applications of technology
improve the quality of life?

3.  The
invention of tools and techniques is
evidence of a society’s ability to solve
problems that were encountered in every
day life.

4. Early Civilizations and tools



Many sociologists and anthropologists have created social
theories dealing with social and cultural evolution.
societies advance when their technologies advance.
There were three main time periods or ages when tools
were the main technological development: The Stone
Age, The Bronze Age and the Iron Age.

5. The Stone Age

6. Why did they need tools?
 Man
had to get smart to survive!

7. How did they live during the
Stone Age?

They followed food sources, and set up camp as needed.
They sheltered under cliffs, whenever possible. You
might think they would look for caves to spend the night,
but caves quite often had dangerous occupants, just as
they do today. Although this group made stone tools
and weapons, these weapons were still pretty basic.
Their main diet was probably fruits, roots, nuts and
vegetables that they found growing wild.

Small groups banded together for protection and
efficiency. The size of the group depended upon the
amount of food available. Groups would disband and
move on, as food required.

9. What’s the big deal?



Why was the ability to able to make fire so important? As
man had already discovered, most animals were afraid of fire,
so a roaring campfire gave protection to the group or tribe.
They no longer had to shelter out of the wind, unless they
chose to do so. If their fire went out, they could relight it. They
could choose where they camped. On a hot night, if they could
find a relatively safe place, a breeze might feel good.
Control of fire made moving into colder regions possible,
as fire they could count on would provide them with
warmth. It also changed the way they prepared food.
These people began to cook their food consistently. Food
that is cooked is more secure from disease and much softer to
eat. As a result, it would have been easier for the young and the
old to survive.

10. 200,000 years later…
Man learns to
make FIRE!!!
They were probably a bit
startled when they saw what
they had created, little knowing
that the invention of fire would
change life dramatically!
DISCUSS: How do you think
the ability to make fire
changed life?

11. A collection of stone age tools:

12.  What
kinds of things could be done with the
help of stone tools that could not be done
before?
 How could stone tools be made better?

13. The Bronze Age

The Stone Age developed into the Bronze Age after
radical changes in agricultural technology which
included:
• Development of agriculture (people began to grow
crops),
• Animals domestication (people began to raise
animals), and the adoption of permanent settlements
(people began to stay in one area).

During this period in the development of technology is
when metals were first used regularly in the
manufacture of tools and weapons.

14.  Mining,
melting, and casting became
organized efforts.

15. Bronze Age Tools

16.  Why
would bronze tools not be possible to
develop in a nomadic society?
 What made bronze tools better than stone
tools?
 What kinds of things could be done easier with
bronze tools than with stone tools?

17. The Iron Age
 The
Iron Age involved the adoption of iron
smelting technology.
 It generally replaced bronze, and made it
possible to produce tools which were stronger
and cheaper to make than bronze
equivalents.
 Iron age also developed coin system.

18. Iron Age Tools

19. Ancient civilizations
 It
was the growth of the ancient civilizations
which produced the greatest advances in
technology and engineering, advances which
stimulated other societies to adopt new ways of
living and governance.
 Let’s see what these ancient civilizations came
up with: Egypt, China, Greece, and India.

20. Ancient Egyptians
 The
Egyptians invented and used many
simple machines, such as the ramp to aid
construction processes.
 How did this allow them to build bigger and
better buildings?

21. Ancient Egyptians
 They
were among the first to extract gold by
large-scale mining using fire-setting, and the
first recognizable map. Egyptian paper,
made from papyrus, and pottery was mass
produced and exported throughout the
Mediterranean basin.

22. India

India is notable for its early application of city planning and
sanitation technologies. Cites in the Indus Valley offer some of
the first examples of closed gutters, public baths, and
communal granaries.

India was also at the forefront of seafaring technology . Ship
construction is vividly described in an ancient Indian text on
Shipbuilding.

23. India



Indian construction and architecture suggests an
understanding of materials
engineering, hydrology, and sanitation.
Ancient Indian culture was also pioneering in its use
of vegetable dyes, cultivating plants including indigo
and cinnabar. Many of the dyes were used in art and
sculpture.
The use of perfumes demonstrates some knowledge
of chemistry, particularly distillation and purification
processes.

24. China



The Chinese made many first-known discoveries and
developments. Major technological contributions from
China include early seismological detectors, matches,
paper, the double-action piston pump, cast iron, the iron
plough, the wheelbarrow, the suspension bridge, the
parachute, natural gas as fuel, the magnetic compass, the
raised-relief map, the propeller, the crossbow, and gun
powder.
Other Chinese discoveries and inventions include: the
paddle wheel boat, block printing and movable type,
phosphorescent paint, chain drive,
the spinning wheel, and solid rocket fuel!

25. Greece
Greek engineers invented many technologies and improved upon
pre-existing technologies. They were unique in their ability to combine
scientific research with the development of new technologies.
 Heron of Alexandria invented a basic steam engine, watermill and
windmill.
 Archimedes invented several machines. One example is the Archimedean
screw.
 Other technologies invented by Greek scientists include the
ballistae.(weapon) and primitive analog computers like the Antikythera
mechanism position of stars) and the piston pump.
 Greek architects were responsible for the first true domes, and were the
first to explore the Golden ratio and its relationship with geometry and
architecture.


26. Greece,
o
Other Greek inventions include crossbows, cranes, organs, the
keyboard mechanism, gears, differential gears, screws, refined
parchment, showers, dry docks, diving bells..
o
In architecture, Greek engineers constructed monumental
lighthouses and devised the first central heating systems. The
Tunnel of Eupalinos is the earliest tunnel in history which has
been excavated with a scientific approach from both ends.
o
Automata like vending machines, automatic doors and many
other ingenious devices were first built by Greeks.

27. Moving into current times…
 From
ancient civilizations until now, there have
been many inventions, discoveries, and
development of technologies. Many different
cultures have had significant impacts upon
technological advances.
 In current society, when man is faced with a
problem, he naturally searches for an answer. If he
can not find one, he will create one using current
knowledge.