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Ancient Technology

Dating back thousands of years are numerous examples of ancient technology that leave us awe-struck at the knowledge and wisdom held by people of our past. They were the result of incredible advances in engineering and innovation as new, powerful civilizations emerged and came to dominate the ancient world. These advances stimulated societies to adopt new ways of living and governance, as well as new ways of understanding their world. However, many ancient technology mysteries were forgotten, lost to the pages of history, only to be re-invented millennia later. Here we feature ancient technology history and dozens of amazing artifacts that reflect the brilliance of ancient minds.

The Remarkable Ancient Navigation System of the Marshall Islands
3 August, 2016 - 03:43 Mark Miller

The Remarkable Ancient Navigation System of the Marshall Islands

People were navigating long distances between islands in the Pacific for at least 2,000 years. How did they do it without astrolabes, sextants or modern satellite positioning technology? One group,...
Vikings. Summer in the Greenland coast circa year 1000.
5 June, 2016 - 14:56 William James Veall

Remote Sensing Satellite Uncovers Astonishing New Evidence of Viking Presence in Newfoundland, Canada

Ancient Origins Guest Writer, William James Veall, is far afield from his usual research concerning Trans-Oceanic visitations to South America. On this occasion he turns his attention towards the...
Advanced Technology of the Ancient Chinese Automata
4 June, 2016 - 03:34 dhwty

Advanced Technology of the Ancient Chinese Automata

The word automaton is said to be the Latinized form of the Greek word, automatos, meaning ‘thinking’, ‘animated’ or ‘willing’. Thus, this word has been used to describe moving machines, especially...
An Undersea Mystery: The Accidental Discovery of the Ghost Ship in the Baltic Sea
29 May, 2016 - 21:38 dhwty

An Undersea Mystery: The Accidental Discovery of the Ghost Ship in the Baltic Sea

The Ghost Ship is a shipwreck that was discovered in the middle of the Baltic Sea. This ship was found by accident in 2003, and the first full-scale archaeological expedition to study it was launched...
The Mystical Pentatonic Scale and Ancient Instruments, Part I: Bone Flutes
4 May, 2016 - 00:58 Willy Minnix

The Mystical Pentatonic Scale and Ancient Instruments, Part I: Bone Flutes

One of the ancient technologies that is often overlooked is the creation of musical instruments. The purpose, development and in some cases the techniques used to develop music remains a mystery...
From Chrome Plating to Nanotubes: The ‘Modern’ Chemistry First Used in Ancient Times
2 May, 2016 - 14:59 ancient-origins

From Chrome Plating to Nanotubes: The ‘Modern’ Chemistry First Used in Ancient Times

By Mark Lorch | Epoch Times The ancient Babylonians were the first to use sophisticated geometry – a staggering 1,400 years before it was previously thought to have been developed. Sadly, these...
A reconstruction of a hwacha.
23 April, 2016 - 03:53 dhwty

The Powerful Hwacha: An Early Korean Rocket Launcher

The hwacha (which roughly translates as fire chariot ) is a type of weapon developed in Korea, and used by its army on the field of battle. This weapon is best known for its deployment during the...
Metal belt from Metsamor site, Armenia. Second century BC.
6 March, 2016 - 14:21 Lilit Mkhitaryan

The Legacy of Armenia: Trade, Metallurgy, and Forging of Precious Metals of the Ancient World

Since ancient times, demand for metals has been a big part of commercial exchange between countries separated by great distance. The Armenian Highland is situated between the Anatolian and Iranian...
This piece of glass, a footed bowl, was blown about 1500 in Venice and enameled in the late 19th century in France.
6 February, 2016 - 00:53 Mark Miller

Expert Reveals Top Secret Venetian Glassblowing Techniques from the Renaissance

Throughout history, some artists, craftsmen and chefs have carefully protected and concealed knowledge about their processes or recipes. One such art was glass-blowing in Venice, where the process...
The Pantheon dome - made entirely out of concrete.
5 February, 2016 - 03:45 ancient-origins

From Chrome Plating to Nanotubes: the ‘Modern’ Chemistry First Used in Ancient Times

The ancient Babylonians were the first to use sophisticated geometry – a staggering 1,400 years before it was previously thought to have been developed. Sadly, these mathematical innovations were...
An ancient Roman road at Leptis Magna, Libya
17 January, 2016 - 04:12 victor labate

Ancient Journeys: What was Travel Like for the Romans?

It was not uncommon for the ancient Romans to travel long distances all across Europe. Actually during the Roman Empire, Rome had an incredible road network which extended from northern England all...
The Olbia gear.
9 January, 2016 - 21:36 giopastore

Unraveling the Mystery of the Ancient Olbia Gearwheel

The restoration of the gearwheel found in Olbia (Sardinia, Italy) in 2006 by the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage, dated between the mid-2nd century and the end of the 3rd century BC, has...
Mosaic depicting Persian Archers
18 September, 2015 - 22:56 dhwty

The Master Archers of the Powerful Achaemenid Empire

In the ancient Near East, archery became the predominant means of launching sharp projectiles, replacing spear-throwing. The history of archery, however, may have originated further down south during...
The mummified remains of Usermontu, Rosicrucian San Jose Museum
20 July, 2015 - 14:35 aprilholloway

Medical Mystery of Usermontu: Why the Discovery of 2,600-Year-Old Knee Screw Left Experts Dumbfounded

In 1971, the Rosicrucian Museum in California acquired a sealed ancient Egyptian coffin containing the well-preserved mummy of a high status Egyptian male. More than two decades later, a team of...
A section of a Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 AD) fresco of 9 chariots, 50 horses, and over 70 men, from a tomb in Luoyang, China, which was once the capital of the Eastern Han.
22 June, 2015 - 03:47 dhwty

Power and Prestige across Asia: A History of Chariots, Part II

Read Part I: Superweapon of the Ancient World: A History of Chariots According to written sources from ancient China, the chariot is reported to have been first used during the Xia dynasty. A Xia...
Pharaoh Tutankhamun riding a chariot
18 June, 2015 - 21:22 dhwty

Superweapon of the Ancient World: A History of Chariots - Part I

The chariot is often associated with the ancient Egyptian civilization. It became a prominent weapon of war during the New Kingdom. In fact, it is often considered a superweapon of the ancient world...
Sketches of inventions by Leonardo da Vinci
2 May, 2015 - 23:12 ancient-origins

Ancient Magic: The Illusions Created in Temples by Amazing Inventions

By Tara MacIsaac , Epoch Times Imagine you’re in an ancient temple, dimly lit by rays of sunlight peaking in. A worshipper lights a fire on the altar, and steps back. A statue beside the altar begins...
Eight Impressive but Terrifying Cases of Ancient Surgery
23 April, 2015 - 01:29 aprilholloway

Eight Impressive but Terrifying Cases of Ancient Surgery

It is hard to fathom the way in which invasive surgery was carried out prior to the development of modern anaesthesia, but ancient people around the world have been cutting and drilling into the...
300 million-year-old screw
13 April, 2015 - 03:29 aprilholloway

Is this a 300 million-year-old screw or just a fossilized sea creature?

A Russian research team known as the Kosmopoisk Group, which investigates UFOs and paranormal activity, claims to have found a one-inch screw embedded inside a rock that is 300 million years old...
The Sushruta Samhita and Plastic Surgery in Ancient India
26 December, 2014 - 23:37 dhwty

The Sushruta Samhita and Plastic Surgery in Ancient India, 6th century B.C.

Plastic surgery seems to be an invention of the modern age. The desire to attain physical beauty is no doubt one of the factors that has contributed to the popularity of this procedure. Apart from...
Leonardo da Vinci inventions
21 December, 2014 - 00:54 Joanna Gillan

Five da Vinci inventions that could have revolutionized the history of technology

Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most famous artists in history. His genius, however, was not just in his art; Leonardo was also a brilliant inventor in the fields of civil engineering, chemistry,...
A trepannated skull from Neolithic period
20 December, 2014 - 22:02 lizleafloor

Evidence of successful brain surgery and ancient pharmaceutical warehouse found in Turkey

Archaeologists have unearthed evidence of ancient surgery among the remains of people who lived in a settlement near Istanbul, Turkey, between the 11 th and 6 th centuries B.C. A skull, buried among...
An Ulfberht sword displayed at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg, Germany
16 December, 2014 - 00:45 ancient-origins

A Step Closer to the Mysterious Origin of the Viking Sword Ulfberht

By Tara MacIsaac , Epoch Times Ulfberht was like a Medieval luxury brand for swords—but unlike your Gucci purse, the swords were of such high quality they were almost … mystical. Dozens of these...
High-tech pottery center discovered at Bronze Age China site
5 December, 2014 - 21:28 lizleafloor

High-tech pottery center discovered at Bronze Age China site, 3,000 years before Industrial Revolution

High-tech pottery crafting methods have been discovered at the Erlitou Bronze Age site in China, dating the mastery of delicate celadon ceramics back 3,000 years before Europe. This ancient, high-...

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