Ancient Art And Technology
how our ancestors gave us a great start

Today, the world is a fast-paced, ever-changing place. Technology changes every few years and we cannot keep up. But what about the past? Did things slow down in ancient times? Certainly not! Everything from tools to architecture amazes us even today. Read on to know more about the top ancient technologies that amaze us even today.

The Babylonian Mathematical Artifacts

Number one on our list of ancient technologies that amaze us is the Babylonian mathematical artifacts. This is a collection of tablets and clay fragments that are about 3000 years old. The tablets are made of clay and were used for writing mathematical problems and solutions. Babylonian mathematics and the Babylonian calendar are still in use today. The fact that these artifacts are so old and yet still relevant today shows the quality of these ancient technologies.

Greek Theatre

Next on our list of ancient technologies that amaze us is Greek theatre. The construction of theatres goes back to the ancient Romans and Greeks, who built some theatres that still survive today. The theatre is a very old art form; Athens was the first city to have permanent theatres, which were built during the Golden Age of Athens in the 5th century BC: while Babylon, ancient Athens and Timgad, a Roman city in Africa, also had theatres around the same time.

The theatres have changed a bit since, but the basics remain the same. The theatres of ancient Greece were open-air spaces with a tiered, semi-circular shape, a wide lawn, and a semicircular roof above. The roof was supported by columns and the actors performed on a stage. The shows were presented in the afternoon and evening, as the climate was likely to be cooler then.

Roman Roads and Aqueducts

Third on our list of ancient technologies that amaze us is the Roman roads and aqueducts. The roads and the aqueducts are examples of Roman engineering. The Romans were the first civilization to pave roads, and some of those roads are still in use today, making them the oldest roads in use.

The Romans also built aqueducts to bring water from the mountains to their cities. The water was sometimes drawn through a series of waterwheels, raised by the force of other water, and then distributed through a series of channels and fountains. The Romans also built a bridge which is still standing today. The bridge is called the Pont du Gard and is located in France. It is considered to be one of the most remarkable Roman aqueducts, and it is one of the best-preserved examples of Roman architecture.

The Wheel

There are many things we take for granted in this modern world. Consider the humble wheel. It’s one of the most common and useful inventions known to man, and its invention is generally attributed to either the ancient Greeks or Romans. But who really invented the wheel? Neither culture appears to have been credited with developing it first—so where did it come from? And how do we know its inventor wasn’t some other culture that has been forgotten over time? These are just a few of the questions raised by this seemingly simple piece of technology. There are plenty of conflicting answers out there, but after after a lot of reserch and headscratching we still don't know for certain!

One ancient culture that may have come up with the wheel is the Egyptians. In 2010, a team of archaeologists found a wooden wheel dated to about 3100 BC in the Wadi el-Garah, in the Nile Delta. This wheel is the earliest known example of a wheel made from a single piece of wood and it’s also the first example of a wooden wheel in general.

But there are some who say that the wheel may have been invented even earlier in Egypt. Archaeologists found the remains of what they believe to be a wheel dating to around 3500 BC buried in the ancient city of Abydos, which is located in Upper Egypt. The wheel was preserved in what’s known as a "boat pit," a place where boats were buried. It’s possible that the wheel was used to move the boats during floods, but many archaeologists believe that the it was actually a potter’s wheel.

Mesoamerican Calendrical Sculptures

Calendrical Sculptures were used by the Mesoamerican people to record astronomical movements and other celestial events. The sculptures were often made of stone and were shaped like humans, animals, or other objects.

They were usually found on the steps of temples or inside the temples and they were were very carefully carved and polished. They were also sometimesvery large and heavy; some sculptures have been found that are more than 6 feet tall.

The sculptures have markings carved on the surface that are very similar to modern calendars. These markings were used to record the movement of the stars, the seasons, and other astronomical events.

Incan Tools and Ruins

Sixth on our list of ancient technologies that amaze us is the Incan tools and ruins. The Incas were a people who lived in the Andes Mountains in South America. They built amazing structures and had considerable architectural skills.

The Incas built cities in the mountains, and they also built roads and bridges to connect them.

Inca architecture is famous for its skillful use of natural materials and the precision in which they were carved and fitted together. The stones are fitted together so tightly that there is hardly a sign of a crack or a gap between the stones.

The city of Machu Picchu is an example of these amazing technologies of the Inca people. The city is built in a way that maximizes the use of the natural landscape, being built on a mountain, and it is surrounded by mountains. Some buildings are carved from the rocks of the mountain, and the gardens are built on sloping terraces.

Inca building technologies were so advanced and so precise that they are still considered advanced technologies even today.

Sumerian Steep slope brickworks

The seventh are the Sumerians who were a people who lived in the southern portion of Mesopotamia from about the 6th century BCE to the 2nd century CE. They are known for their advanced architecture and culture. The Sumerians built cities with houses, fortresses and temples. The structure of the cities was amazing. The cities were built on steep slopes, and the Sumerians built brick walls on the slopes. The bricks were about 8 inches long, 3 inches wide and 3 inches thick. The brick walls were built with a wide base, which provided extra stability to the walls.

These amazing brickworks are dated to be about 4500 years old and some of the brickworks are still standing today, putting them amongst the oldest and longest standing human-made structures.

The brickworks are a long wall made of baked clay bricks. The bricks were made by mixing clay and water and they were fired in kilns to make them hard and durable.

Conclusion

The world has come a long way since the days of ancient civilizations. Even so, there are still many technological wonders from these long-gone eras that we still can’t match. These top ancient technologies that amaze us were built thousands of years ago and some are still in use today and, like the Egyptian pyramids and Roman roads and aqueducts, are so well-built that they are expected to last for hundreds of years more to come. If we look back at the ancient technologies of the past and use that as inspiration, we can achieve so much more today and in the future!