WEEK 3, LESSON 2:
the sacred place of their chief god.
HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN
DIFFERENT PERIODS
ANCIENT TIMES
Europe
- Wooden bow and arrow
- Stone-headed spears
- Iron
- False teeth
- Sewing needles
North America & South America
- Arrow heads
- Pottery in South America
- Irrigation (stone canal)
Asia
- Junkships (exploration and
improve science and technology)
- Plow (Mesopotamia)
- Earthenwares (Japan)
- Wine
- Bronze (Thailand)
Africa and the Middle East
- Homoerectus
- Medicine
- Mummification
- Pyramid
- Stone-head spears
Sumerian Civilization (4500-4000 BC)
 Cuneiform – a set of word pictures
depicted in symbols made of triangular
marks.
 Sexagesimal – using the number 60 as
base, system of counting and a form of
place notation
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 Ziggurats- mountain of god, served as
 Potter’s wheel
 Wheeled vehicle made of solid wooden
wheels on axles now regarded as the
greatest mechanical invention of all
time.
 Materia medica – made up of assorted
botanical, zoological and mineralogical
ingredients.
 Seed plow
 Sail boat
 Intricate system of canals, dikes and
reservoir
 The city of Uruk – a great wonder why
not only because it is considered to be
the first true city in the world.
 Divided the circle into 360 degrees.
 Developed advances mathematical
functions to permit accurately plot and
forecast.
 Zodiacal map of Sumer was used for
practical mathematical and
observational purposes.
 Code of Ur-NAmmu – the oldest
surviving law in the world. It is the
earliest existing legal text.
 Fabrication of copper.
 Assyrian math
 Mesopotamia (West Asia)
Babylonian Civilization
 Babylonia – ancient region bordering the
Tigris and Euphrates rivers (southern
Iraq)
 Nebuchadnezzar ordered the
construction of the famous “Hanging
Gardens of Babylon” and the Isthar
Gate.
 They adopted the Sumerian
sexagesimal system of counting in units,
Ziggurat and cuneiform.
 Their measurements made use of
fractions, squares and square roots.
 book-keeping, a simple but adequate
system of double-entry accounting.
 Zodiac signs, concept of horoscope
 Prediction of solar and lunar eclipses.
 Jewelry making originated from the
Babylonians
 Code of Hammurabi
 The Babylonian Map of the World- first
map
 Astrology, the science of studying the
position of celestial bodies.
Egyptian Civilization
 The Egyptian writing was in the form of
pictorial symbols known as
hieroglyphics, representing individual
objects or actions.
 They wrote with ink and brushes on
paper made of papyrus reeds.
 Ancient Egyptians studies the heavens
to record time, calculate
distances/directions, forecast the
seasons and predict annual flooding of
the Nile river.
 The earliest Egyptian calendar was
based on their observations of the
regular appearance and disappearance
of Sirius the brightest star in their
horizon which coincide with the annual
rise and fall of the Nile river.
 Another calendar was based on the
phases of the moon, consisting of 29
and ½ days.
 The first 365-day calendar was possibly
devised by IMHOTEP.
 They calculated the time by means of
waterclock- a conical earthen vessel
with hours equally marked off on the
inside and spout at the bottom.
 Nobles, men and women wore wigs,
they used a variety of preparations for
the hair such as henna.
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 They used tweezers and razors to
remove unwanted body hair.
 Both sexes wore jewelries, sandals,
perfume and cosmetics-eye make-up
and Kohl around the eyes to prevent or
even cure eye diseases.
 They built pyramids such as Pyramid of
Sakkara as Zoser’s tomb and memorial
and Pyramid of Khufu or Cheofs and
Great sphinx- a stone statue with a
king;s head and a lion’s boy to guard the
pharaoh’s tomb..
 The ancient Egyptians knowledge of
human anatomy, physiology and
medical plants enabled them to master
the art and science of embalming the
dead.
 From the Hyksos, they learned military
technology and system- horse driven
light war chariots manned by warriors
armed with bows, bronze swords and
lances.
 The Egyptians invented and used many
simple machines such as ramp and
lever, to aid construction processes.
 They used rope trusses to stiffen the
beam of ships
 In Hellenistic Egypt, lighthouse
technology was developed, the most
famous example being the Lighthouse of
Alexandria- a port for the ships that
traded the goods manufactured in Egypt
or imported in Egypt.
 Library of Alexandria
 Obelisks and pillars
Greek Civilization
 Greece- is an archipelago in the
Southeastern part of Europe.
 Known as the birthplace of western
philosophy.
 Some of the major achievements of the
Greeks include in-depth works on
philosophy and mathematics.
 Their wise men were the first to
systematically separate scientific ideas
from superstition and stressed the
logical development of general
principles or theories about natural
phenomena.
 Transition from the Bronze Age to the
Iron Age
 They designed various mathematical
models and mechanical systems to
explain the planetary motions and
mechanical systems to explain the
planetary positions and movements on
geometrical determinations and logical
deductions.
 Ancient Greeks invented the alarm
clock- used large complicated
mechanisms to time the alarm. They
made use of water (or sometimes small
stones or sand). That dropped into
drums which sounded the alarm.
 Watermills were also considered as one
of the most important contributions of
the Greek civilization to the world. They
were commonly used in agricultural
processes like milling of grains which
was a necessary form of food
processing.
 Greek Philosophers
 Galen made the first steps for the
advancement of the science of anatomy.
 Hippocrates- “Father of Greek Medicine”
 First to regard medicine as a science
apart from religion.
 He taught that diseases have natural
causes and that somehow the human
body is capable of healing or repairing
itself.
 According to Empedocles nature was a
mixture of four elements: earth, fire, air
and water.
 Thales of Miletus- Father of Philosophy,
taught that nature was composed of or
convertible into water.
 Anaxagoras- argued that matter was
composed of countless tiny particles,
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each made of dominant substances
such as water mixed with other random
substances.
 Aristotle- proved the importance of
critical observation and systematic
means to identify and classify
organisms.
 Thales, Pythagoras, Euclid- perfected
geometry, as a single logical system.
 Archimedes
- performed experiments which led him
to discover the laws of lever and the
pulley.
– invented the science of hydrostatics-
measurement and use of water-power.
- made planetarium powered by water to
demonstrate the movements of the sun
and planets around the stationary earth.
- discovered the concept of gravity
 Ptolemy
- wrote the Almagest, wherein he
presented his ideas and summarized
those of the earlier Greek astronomers
about the universe.
 -postulated the geocentric theory of the
universe.
Roman Civilization
 The Roman Empire was perceived to be
the strongest political and social entity in
the west.
 Considered to be the cradle of politics
and governance.
 One of the major contributions of the
Romans is the newspaper- Gazettes-
contained announcements of the Roman
Empire to the people, made metal or
stone tablets and then publicly
displayed.
 The ancient Roman Empire was able to
produce the first books or codex.
 They introduced the Roman numeral.
 They constructed the Pantheon as one
of the world’s greatest domed buildings
and Colosseum, Rome’s stage for
 individual gladiatorial contest which held
50,000 spectators.
 Chariot races and gladiatorial fights
were held at Rome’s principal stadium,
the Circus Maximus, which
accommodated some 300,000 people.
 Roman government were able to
implement major projects such as large
churches (cathedrals and basilicas),
aqueducts, amphitheaters and even
residential houses.
 Vitruvius first described the odometer as
being used for measuring distance
around 27BC, but evidence points
towards Archimedes of Syracuse as its
inventor.
 Anaximander was one of the first
pioneer cartographers to create a map
of the world.
 Olympics were dedicated to the
Olympian Gods.
Arabic/Islamic Civilization
 Arabia- is a rocky peninsula in
Southwestern Asia.
 The most influential Muslim intellectual
contribution to the modern world was
their synthesis of the scientific and
technological knowledge they learned
from and transmitted to the various
cultures they encountered.
- They introduced the Arabic
system of numbers
- The Arabs interest in the
pseudoscience of alchemy
encouraged them to mix and
manipulate chemical elements
and conduct experiments to
transform base metals into gold.
- They were the first to use glass
lens for magnification
- First to manufacture the black
powder
- They produced the first gun- a
bamboo tube reinforced with iron
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that used a charge of black
powder to shoot an arrow.
Chinese Civilization
 It is considered to be the oldest
civilization in Asia.
 It is also known as the middle kingdom,
located on the far east of Asia.
 People learned the technology of silk
production
 The outstanding contribution of the
Shang included the creation of
magnificent bronze vessels, discovery of
lacquer, the development of the horse-
drawn war chariots and the first known
Chinese writing which was discovered
incised on flat shoulder bones of cattle
or on tortoise shells called “oracle bone”.
 Chopsticks came into use.
 They invented the escapement, the
basic device used to regulate clocks.
 They constructed the Great Wall of
China and the great palace of the first
emperor.
 The Chinese had one of the most
advanced systems of pharmacology-
discovery of healing drugs and herbs.
 They also practice apothecaries and
acupuncture- was used to treat illnesses
or pain by pricking the patient’s body
with needles at points believed to be
connected with the visceral organs
causing the pain.
 They invented the “earthquake
weathercock” to detect earthquake
occurrence
 The use of toilet paper was also traced
in China back to the sixth century.
 Development of calligraphy, water color,
painting and block printing were
invented.
 The first movable type printer made form
pottery was developed by Pi Sheng.
 Chinese had an outstanding
contributions such as the invention of
 gunpowder, a naturally magnetic iron
ore used to magnetize a floating needle
(prototype of the magnetic needle in
compass) to indicate location, the use of
coal as fuel, water wheel, the
wheelbarrow, and the flexible bamboo
pole that speedily enchanted the
transport of heavy loads, the technology
of copper coinage, the artistry of
wallpaper and porcelain.
 Tea production was developed.
Indus-Hindu Civilization
 India- mainly in the Northwestern
regions of South Asia.
 Considered the most remarkable
accomplishment of the Indus civilization
was the construction layout of its cities
which featured water wells (that piped
water supply) bathrooms and wastepipe
or drains in nearly every house.
 They excelled particularly in medicine
and mathematics.
 Traditional Indian medication had a very
extensive pharmacopoeia and varieties
of herbal remedies and drugs.
 Indian surgeons successfully performed
various operations like repair of broken
limbs, complicated bone setting,
amputation, plastic surgery and
Caesarian section.
 They introduced the negative and
positive quantities, square and cube
roots, quadratic equations, mathematical
implications of zero and infinity and
value of pi up to nine decimal places.
 They also developed the steps in sine
functions, spherical geometry and
calculus
 Iron pillar of Delhi-the world’s first iron
pillar.
 Stupa was used as commemorative
monument associated with storing
sacred relics.
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 Great technology was needed in the
fields of weaponry, navigation, mass
food and farm production, and health.
Persian Civilization
 Introduction of a uniform system of gold
and silver coinage.
 The first regular postal system in the
world
 Taxation system, an important
component of the Achaemenid state
administration.
 Qanat is a gently sloping underground
channel that carries water from an
aquifer or water well to houses and
fields. It is used for drinking water and
irrigation of crops.
 Sulfuric acid was first discovered by Abu
Bakr Muhammad Ibn Jakarta al-Razi.
MEDIEVAL PERIOD ca. 5th-14th CENTURY
 Dark Ages
 Age of exploration
 Period between Ancient and Modern
Times
 Started the Industrial Revolution
(capital-based) (labor intensive)
 Little scientific
 Johannes Gutenberg (1395-1468)
 Printing press (15th century)
 King Charlemagne of Franks (768-
814)
- Tried to established the
scholastic tradition
- Later Middle Ages (1250 to 1500
AD)  refinement of
philosophical science and
scientific method.
RENAISSSANCE 14th-17th Century
 “rebirth”
 Leonardo da Vinci
 Preparation to 17th century’s scientific
achievements and development.
 Chinese woodblock printing and
papermaking (1250-1350)
 Westerneurope bookprinting
 Galileo Galilei
 Nicolas Copernicus
 Isaac Newton

INDUSTRIAL 18TH Century

 Second-wave technology
 Great Britain  Europe  Asia (1760-
1840)
 SETBACK: Skilled workers were set
aside.
 Steam-powered Locomotive: Grorge
Stephenson
 Steam engines: Scottish James Watt
 Light Bulb: Thomas Edison
 Telephone: Alexander Grahambell.

19TH CENTURY
 Periodic table of elements: Dmitri
Mendeleev
 Atomic Theory: John Dalton
 Radioactivity: Henri Becquerel
 Marie Curie and her husband: Radium
and incurable diseases (cancer)
 X-ray

MODERN SCIENCE 20TH CENTURY

 Scientific method

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