Man has always sought to make his life easier by creating new technology. Many of them have sunk into oblivion, because they have not found applications, some disappeared with the last carriers production secrets.
Astronomy of antiquity
From the moment a person learned to cultivate plants and to engage in agriculture, there was a need to lead observe the movement of the sun and moon, make a calendar to correctly identify favorable days to start agricultural work. So, in ancient Egypt was invented, the so-called gnomon, which was an obelisk high in 117 roman feet.
His shadow fell on a horizontal plane, the position of which It was different at different times of the day. With the help of this simple constructions in the temple of the Egyptian sun god Ra in special tables priests regularly noted the movement of the sun and planets. They are learned to make calendars, determine the beginning of the season, predict the time of solar and lunar eclipses.
A photo from open sources
In ancient Greece, a device called Antikythera mechanism (probably created by ancient Greek second-century astronomer BC Hipprachus of Nicaea). Mechanism contained 27 bronze gears in a wooden case on which dials with arrows were placed. Scientists stumbled upon it accidentally, during the study of the ancient Greek wreck near the island of Antikythera in 1901.
Modern science took another 70 years to understand the essence device that was used for reconstruction for reconstruction movements of celestial bodies (not only the sun and moon, but also five known in the antiquity of planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn). It, like the Egyptian gnomon, predicted the solar and lunar eclipses. After the Greeks, similar mechanisms were created, but much more primitive – astronomical gear calendars Byzantine and Islamic periods.
First antidepressants
The ancient Greeks and Romans used to lift their spirits and getting rid of depression is a drink called “nepenf” also known as the “wine of oblivion.” First about him mentioned in Homer’s poem Odyssey. It is possible that this drink came from Egypt and had a narcotic effect.
Another ancient nation – the Aryans – invented the haoma, the drink of which priests used in ritual practices. It was made from seeds unknown to modern scientists plants that had, according to sources, a bitter aftertaste, and therefore the drink itself was diluted milk.
The medical miracle of Galen
The ancient Roman physician and philosopher of the 2nd century AD – Galen created unique cataract treatment technology (corneal opacity).
A photo from open sources
He used a special tool of his own design, representing a stick (inside it was hollow), on one the side of which had a hole and a tip – on the other. Point he injected into the patient’s eye, on the other hand sucked cataract from eyes of the patient. With this method, Galen cured many of his patients.
Galen performed unique craniotomy operations and dental prosthetics. Trepanation was especially relevant in those time. By that time, Rome had already entered an era of infinite border wars with advancing barbarian tribes. During Conflicts were frequent when soldiers died from mortal blow of a spear or arrow to the head. Trepanation which to Galen in Rome, according to sources, no one spent, allowed save the lives of many warriors.
Eolipilus
Eolipilus (translated from Greek – “ball of the god of the winds of Aeolus”), created by the ancient Greek scientist of the 1st century AD Heron Alexandria, was the prototype of a modern steam turbine.
A photo from open sources
Eolipil was a tightly sealed boiler with two tubes on the lid. Rotating hollow was installed on the tubes a ball on the surface of which two L-shaped nozzle nozzle. Water was poured into the boiler through the hole, the hole closed with a cork, and the boiler was installed over the fire. Water boiled, steam formed, which through the tubes entered the ball and L-shaped branch pipes.
At sufficient pressure, steam jets escaped from the nozzles and started to spin the ball quickly. Built by modern scientists on Erolipil developed up to 3500 rpm! it the invention can be considered the first jet engine.
Antiquity Vending Machine
Geron of Alexandria has developed a mechanism for the sale of “saint water. “Pagan temples needed to attract parishioners and receive income from this. The surest way to do this is show the devout parishioner a “miracle” for which it was necessary pay with a coin. To do this, the temple priests turned to genius Heron, who created this “miracle.”
A photo from open sources
The internal mechanism of the device was quite simple and consisted of finely balanced lever that controls the valve, which opened under the influence of the weight of the coin. Coin falling through a slot on a small tray and actuated the lever and valve. Valve opened, some water flowed out.
Then the coin slid off the tray, and the lever returned to starting position by closing the valve. According to some sources, a portion of “sacred” water in the time of Heron was worth 5 drams. Parishioners, seeing that water comes as if “from nowhere,” took it like a wonderful sign.
Damascus steel
Damascus weapons were characterized by a high degree of strength and aroused admiration among the Europeans who met him in Crusade time. It seemed to them that such a blade could cut even strong chain mail, able to cut a stone in half and metal (including blades made from other types of steel).
A photo from open sources
The strength of Damascus steel, as modern scholars believe, was due to the large amount of carbon in the material, as well as using various combinations of alloys of other metals. Today there are already attempts to reconstruct production technology, but scientists still can’t explain how with the preexisting primitive technical means could create a weapon of such high quality.
The first mention of Damascus steel dates back to 540 era, although perhaps it was used much earlier, back in times of Alexander the Great.
Steel for blades was made in India and was known there for the name “university”. India has been widely trading in steel bullion, which had the size of a hockey puck. It was believed that the best blades forged from an Indian university in Persia; shields and armor were made of it. The geographical distribution of Damascus steel basically coincided with the spread of the Muslim religion, although in ancient Russia this steel was also known (under the name “damask steel”). This name is this steel received thanks to the Crusader Europeans, who for the first time saw her in Damascus and appreciated.
Life-saving cosmetics
The ancient Egyptians developed a complex religious system. Spiritual norms and ideas were not only a matter of ideological and ritual practices, but also transferred to everyday life people. So, applying makeup (it was used by both men and women), had religious significance. Makeup eyes were the personification of the sun that gives life in Egypt.
Makeup also had purely practical significance. Application “magic circle” around the eyes with “malachite green” (paint for the eye based on the crushed stone of malachite) protected them from the sun and infections. This made the skin, as in modern advertising, more elastic, and vision lasted longer.
A photo from open sources
Sergey Kachan
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