Buzz
The industrial revolutions and the subsequent years gave rise to some of humanity's most groundbreaking and complex inventions. Given their deep roots in history, we often assume that many of our current conveniences originated from that time. What’s astonishing, however, is how many items we use daily have been around for thousands of years. This list includes ten such innovations, all of which predate the birth of Christ, and many of which we still use today, if not regularly.
10. Plywood
Plywood has existed for millennia, with the earliest known example appearing in Ancient Egypt around 3500 BC. During this period, wooden products were created using sawn veneers bonded together in a crosswise pattern. This process was initially developed due to a shortage of high-quality wood. High-grade thin wood sheets were layered over a base of lower-quality wood, enhancing both the aesthetic and structural properties of the material. The invention of plywood has been rediscovered and reused throughout history.
9. Plumbing
By 2700 BC, the urban settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization had already introduced standardized earthenware plumbing pipes with broad flanges, using asphalt to prevent leaks. Plumbing first emerged in ancient civilizations like those of the Greeks, Romans, Persians, Indians, and Chinese, driven by the need for public baths, potable water, and waste drainage. Plumbing advancements progressed slowly over time, with little change from the Roman aqueduct and lead pipe systems until the 19th century. Ultimately, the development of separate underground water and sewage systems helped eliminate open sewage ditches and cesspools.
8. Ice Skates
A study conducted by Federico Formenti from the University of Oxford and Alberto Minetti from the University of Milan suggests that Finns were the first to create ice skates around 5,000 years ago using animal bones. This innovation was essential for the Finnish people, helping them conserve energy while hunting in the harsh winter conditions of Finnish Lakeland. The earliest metal-bladed skate, discovered in Scandinavia and dating back to 200 AD, featured a thin copper strip folded and attached beneath a leather shoe.
7. Perfume
The first known chemist in history is believed to be Tapputi, a perfume maker mentioned in a cuneiform tablet from the second millennium BC in Mesopotamia. Tapputi created perfumes by distilling flowers, oils, and calamus along with other aromatics, which she filtered and then returned to the still multiple times. More recently, archaeologists uncovered what are believed to be the oldest perfumes in Pyrgos, Cyprus. These perfumes, dating over 4,000 years old, were found in an ancient perfumery. The site contained at least 60 stills, mixing bowls, funnels, and perfume bottles in a 43,000-square-foot (4,000 m2) factory. Four of these perfumes have been re-created from residues found at the site.
6. Metrology and Calibration
The people of the Indus Valley Civilization (c. 3000–1500 BC, Mature period 2600–1900 BC) developed a highly advanced system of standardization, evidenced by the weights and measures discovered at the Indus Valley excavation sites. This technical innovation allowed for the effective use of gauging devices in both angular and construction measurements. Calibration techniques were also found, with some devices incorporating multiple subdivisions. Metrology, or the science of measurement, has existed in various forms since ancient times. The first examples of standardized measures included length, time, and weight, and were often based on practical local standards such as the length of an arm.
5. Lenses
The Nimrud lens, a 3,000-year-old piece of rock crystal, was discovered by Austen Henry Layard at the Assyrian palace of Nimrud. This lens may have served as a magnifying glass or a burning-glass to start fires by focusing sunlight. Assyrian craftsmen, known for their detailed engravings, could have used it in their work. Giovanni Pettinato, an Italian scientist from the University of Rome, has suggested that this lens may have been part of an ancient Assyrian telescope, potentially explaining their advanced knowledge of astronomy.
4. Central Heating
Cities in the northern regions of Ancient Rome began utilizing central heating systems as early as 1,000 BC. These systems, known as hypocausts, circulated air heated by furnaces through empty spaces beneath the floors and into pipes embedded in the walls. Hypocausts were employed to warm both public baths and private homes. The floor was raised above the ground using pillars called pilae stacks, with spaces inside the walls that allowed hot air and smoke from the furnace (praefurnium) to flow through, exiting via flues in the roof. This method efficiently heated the rooms without polluting the interior. Ceramic box tiles were placed in the walls to both expel the hot air and help heat the walls. A similar heating system, known as ondol, was also used in ancient Korea. The image above shows sections beneath the floor where the heated air would circulate.
3. Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery is among the oldest surgical practices. Nose-reconstruction procedures were likely performed in ancient India as early as 2000 BC, particularly as a punishment for those who had their noses amputated. The potter caste eventually developed a technique to rebuild the nose using a section of the forehead, a method still used today. Ancient Greek and Roman texts also mention similar surgical practices. The image above shows Walter Yeo, the first person to benefit from modern plastic surgery, with the photo on the right taken after he received a skin graft.
This article is licensed under the GFDL because it contains quotations from Wikipedia. “Plastic Surgery,” Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008 © 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
2. Dentist’s Drill
Evidence from the Indus Valley Civilization shows that dentistry was practiced as early as 7000 BC. The earliest known form of dental treatment involved the use of bow drills, likely operated by skilled bead craftsmen, to treat tooth-related ailments. Studies of this ancient technique reveal that it was both reliable and effective. Cavities as deep as mm with concentric grooves indicate the use of these drills. The teeth analyzed are estimated to be around 9,000 years old.
1. Cataract Surgery
The earliest documentation of cataract surgery can be found in the Bible and early Hindu records. This procedure was known to the Indian physician Sushruta (6th century BC), depicted above. In ancient India, cataract surgery was carried out using a specialized instrument called the Jabamukhi Salaka, a curved needle that was used to detach the lens and remove the cataract from the line of sight. Afterward, the eye would be bathed in warm butter and bandaged. Although this method proved to be effective, Sushruta advised that cataract surgery should only be performed when absolutely necessary.
