Evidences of Science

and Technology during

Ancient Times
LESSON 2
First Civilizations

 First civilizations emerged independent from one another along fertile river valleys in
Mesopotamia (Tigris and Euphrates), Egypt (Nile river), China (Huang Ho river), and
India (Ganges river).

 People of each civilization developed a unique way of life, religion, form of government,
language and system of writing, arts and crafts, advances of science and technology:
astronomy, agriculture, medicine, mathematics, engineering and architecture.
Huang Ho River
Ganges River
Sumerian Civilization (Sumer, Mesopotamia )
 Sumer was the southernmost region of ancient Mesopotamia.

 It is the cradle of the world`s earliest known civilization and was the first established in the region in
about 3600 BC.

 AKA “the first city” in the world.

 The Sumerian city-states were often at war with one another.

 the Sumerians are also remembered as some of history’s original brewers.

 Goddess of Brewing- Ninkasi.

Science and Technology Development of the Sumerians
Cuneiform Writing
 The first writing system of the Sumerians. It is a set of word pictures depicted in symbols and is
made up of triangular marks around 3100 BC.
 Pictograms/ drawings representing actual things were the basis of cuneiform writing.

Sumerian Clay Tablet

 It contains the Sumerian historical information and culture.
 It began as record keeping for trade and evolved into the use for writing down laws and stories.
 Cuneiform characters were imprinted on a wet clay tablet with a stylus often made of reed (reed
pen).
Pictograms Sample
Science and Technology Development of the Sumerians
Concept of the Wheel
 It is a mechanical device that the Sumerians had invented shortly after 3500 BC. (Potter`s Wheel)

Sailboat
 Was also first invented by Ancient Mesopotamia.
 They started using sailboat since Mesopotamia was situated between 2 famous rivers.
 Reasons: Travel and Trade.

Astronomers
 They were also the first astronomers, mapping the movement of stars, planets, and moon into sets of
constellations.
Sailboat
Science and Technology Development of the Sumerians
Scholars
 Sumerians were also recognized for building the foundations of logic, mathematics, engineering,
architecture, agriculture, transportation and medicine.

Other Innovations
 Developed systematized technique of farming: seed plow and irrigation
 Mastered the arts of bleaching and dyeing of sheep`s wool.
Cuneiform Writing and Clay Tablet
Cuneiform Writing Clay Tablet
Babylonian Civilization
 Babylonia was an ancient Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in central-southern
Mesopotamia.

 The name is thought to derive from bav-il or bav-ilim which, in the Akkadian language of the time,
meant ‘Gate of God’ or `Gate of the Gods’

 It is a region that borders the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

 Babylon is the capital, and served as commercial and religious center in the Tigris- Euphrates Valley.
Babylonian Civilization
Science and Technology Development of the Babylonians
Hammurabi
 The first leader of the Babylonian empire, promulgated the famous law code (code of Hammurabi) that
served as rule and standards which helped maintain a period of stability in this region.

Nebuchadnezzar II
 He was the Neo Babylonian Emperor who ordered the construction of the famous “hanging gardens of
the Babylons”.

Other Innovations
 Contributed to the development of Science and Technology such as: irrigation systems of canals, system
of book keeping, double entry accounting, multiplication and division tables.
 Made accurate predictions of solar and lunar eclipses.
Hanging gardens
of Babylons
Egyptian Civilization

 is situated in the northeastern part of the African continent, Egypt is located along the Nile river
which provided a fertile delta.

 Egyptian were considered as one of the best engineers and architects of the ancient times.
Science and Technology Development of the Egyptians
Innovations
 The were the first people to make glass. (glass blowing)
 They invented the first paper known as papyrus.
 Their system of writing is called Hieroglyphics which uses pictorial symbols.
 They also master the art and science of embalming their dead.
 Created the first 365 days calendar which was devised by Imhotep.
 They were the first to divide the day into 24 hours.
 Invented the water clock
 They also manufactured soaps, creams, oils, perfumes and eye make up.
Egyptian Technology

Glass blowing papyrus hieroglyphics