History is fascinating. Our ancestors invented remarkable things that we have rediscovered centuries later. Some ancient technologies serve as real evidence that history, culture, and perhaps even reality itself may not follow a linear timeline.
Indeed, development seems to follow a sort of spiral pattern, and there are many proofs of this. For example, some archaeological finds make us reconsider our understanding of ancient times as they truly were.
In essence, many modern inventions were well known to our ancestors, who used them successfully. Unfortunately, what could have significantly advanced civilization was often forgotten, only to be reinvented millennia later. AdmiGram.com presents the most amazing inventions from the past that were far ahead of their time.
5 ancient technologies that were ahead of their time
Viking compasses
© Vikings / MGM Television
In the 9th century, compasses and accurate topographical maps were unheard of. All that seasoned travelers had were special sundials to orient themselves at specific times. If the sun wasn’t out, they had to wait until the next day. However, ancient Vikings had an interesting device called the Uunartoq disc. It was much more complex than a modern compass and allowed them to determine their location with the accuracy of contemporary GPS systems.
Bamboo pipeline in Ancient China
© Zhong & Huang / Canadian SEG
Ancient China was always impressive. For example, 2,000 years ago, the Chinese knew that salt was an excellent preservative and extracted it on an industrial scale. They built actual drilling rigs. Using a heavy bamboo drill with a special drum, the Chinese drilled the earth to depths of 400-600 meters (1300-2000 feet) to extract salt. A byproduct of this drilling was methane gas. The Chinese later learned to channel this gas through bamboo pipes over long distances to use it for heating and lighting.
Roman concrete
© Andrew Seles / Flickr
The patent for making concrete was granted to Joseph Aspdin in 1824. If you’re familiar with material science, you know that the lifespan of concrete structures is about 50 years. However, concrete was known and widely used for construction much earlier in the Roman Empire. The most astonishing thing is that thousands of years after the fall of the Roman Empire, its concrete structures still stand, almost as good as new.
Baghdad battery and electroplating
© Boynton / Flickr
It’s hard to imagine, but in 2500 BCE, in Mesopotamia, people not only knew about electricity but also used it for electroplating surfaces. They used analogs of modern batteries, though much bulkier. Archaeologists have found many silver-plated vases, the surface of which could have been coated with a thin layer of silver only by electroplating.
Polarization of light
© Lucas / Flickr
The Lycurgus Cup is an amazing piece of evidence that history is not as straightforward as we think. The cup, presumably made in the 4th century CE, contains tiny particles of colloidal gold and silver (about 70 nanometers) in a ratio of three to seven. Thus, when light hits the glass, it creates a dichroic effect (changing color depending on the lighting). It’s clear that producing such glass was practically impossible at that time without an understanding of light polarization. Those who made the Lycurgus Cup clearly knew what they were doing and understood the concept of light polarization.
image on top: New Scientist
