Major Contributions Made By Ancient Egyptians And Babylonians To Science - Essay Example

MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY ANCIENT EGYPTIANS AND BABYLONIANS TO SCIENCE Ancient Egyptians Contributions to Science Ancient Egypt was the birth place of the world’s first civilizations. Egyptian civilization thrived along the Nile River in northeastern Africa for more than 3,000 years, from about 3300 bc to 30 bc. It was the longest-lived civilization of the ancient world. As one of the worlds earliest major and long-lived civilizations, ancient Egypt left a legacy of important innovations, discoveries, and contributions that have affected humankind over the millennia. Ancient Egyptians made observations in the field of astronomy and geography (Lesko, 1989). The Egyptians created a calendar at a very early stage, based on their observations of the movements of the Sun and the stars. Eventually they also produced a version of the zodiac. They used their calendar for many purposes, including the recording of historical events and royal decrees and the scheduling of festivals and other activities. The Egyptians probably created a calendar because it was so important for their survival to know when the Nile’s flood would come. They divided each day into 24 hours, 12 hours each for the day and the night. A period of ten days made up a week, and one month included three such weeks, or 30 days. A year comprised 12 months and was divided into three seasons of four months each. To the 360 days of the 12 months in a year, the Egyptians added 5 more days, which they referred to as the birthdays of several gods. Thus, an Egyptian year totaled 365 days, remarkably close to the 365¼ days it takes the Earth to go around the Sun. There was no concept of leap year (accounting for the extra ¼ day a year), so the calendar fell behind by one day every four years (Encarta, 2005). The ancient Egyptians were masters of the arts of stone working and metal working and the production of faience and glass. Their products were used throughout the ancient world. Their understanding of astronomy was very advanced, and this knowledge was passed on to the generations that followed. In mathematics they developed basic concepts in arithmetic and geometry. The ancient Egyptians understood the idea of fractions and knew how to add them. Some of the mathematical texts taught the finer points of arithmetic, geometry, and even word problems, and are not unlike modern primers. These and other texts indicate that the ancient Egyptians understood and could add fractions and could even find the area of a trapezoidal pyramid. Without the advanced mathematics they originated, the ancient Egyptians would not have been able to build the pyramids and other large structures (Encarta, 2005). Egyptian scholars wrote some of the earliest known medical texts. These texts deal with topics such as internal medicine, surgery, pharmaceutical remedies, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. Medical papyri taught physicians how to deal with both internal medicine and surgery (Encarta, 2005). Ancient Egyptians doctors were the first physicians to study the human body scientifically. They studied the structure of brain and knew that the pulse was in some way connected with heart. They could set broken bones, care for wounds, and treat many illnesses. Some doctors specialized in field of medicine, such as eye defects or stomach disorders (Lesko, 1989). The ancient Egyptians had other natural resources besides the Nile. The country was rich in a wide variety of minerals, which the people learned to exploit early. They mined gold and copper and established a metalworking industry that produced jewelry, vessels, statues, weapons, and tools, among other objects. They learned to make bronze in around 1500 bc, but evidence for iron smelting does not appear before the 6th century bc. They quarried many types of stone, including limestone, calcite, granite, and diorite. The stoneworkers used bronze tools and hard pounding stones in the quarrying process. Stone quarrying provided the raw material for architectural projects, statues, sarcophagi, and vessels. Minerals such as galena, natron, and feldspar were also mined, as were carnelian, malachite, amethyst, and other semiprecious gemstones. Some of these minerals were used for jewelry and decorative purposes, and others were used for cosmetic and funerary preparations (Encarta, 2005). Ancient Babylonians Contributions to Science The city of Babylon was the capital of the ancient land of Babylonia in southern Mesopotamia. It was situated on the Euphrates River about 50 miles south of modern Baghdad, just north of what is now the modern Iraqi town of al-Hillah. The Babylonian civilization was mainly based on agriculture (Babylonia, 2005) The observations of the astrologers, which were meticulously recorded on a nightly basis over many centuries, led to accurate predictions of various astronomical phenomena and the correct calculation of the solar and lunar year. The Babylonian calendar was based upon the lunar year but, thanks to the astrologers knowledge, could be reconciled with the solar year by means of intercalary months. They were probably the first people after the Sumerians to have a calendar. This calendar was very important because without it agriculture could not be planned properly. There were twelve lunar months in the year but as the months were shorter, often an extra month would have to be added. This was called the second Elul. The year started at the vernal (spring) equinox. Each week was divided into seven days. The day was divided into six parts each of two hours duration and containing thirty parts. The Babylonians measured time with a water or sun clock. Babylonian calendar has marked similarities with the present day calander, for instance the twelve months in the year and seven days in a week. Medicine was practiced by two kinds of experts: the physician (asu), and the exorcist (dsipu), and the talents of either or both might be demanded at the sick bed. There was a whole set of diagnostic texts in which a multitude of possible symptoms was listed and the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment given. Surgery was known and even delicate operations on the eye were performed. The Babylonians had a superb knowledge of human and animal anatomy and physiology and were aware of the circulation of the blood and the pulse. The Babylonians were intimate with the variety of stones, metals, trees, plants, animals, birds and fish which existed in their world and left for posterity a multitude of lists of their names and texts about them (Russell, 2005). References Babylonia (2005). A history of ancient Babylon (Babylonia) including its cities, laws, kings and legacy to civilization. World History Center. Retrieved November 28, 2005, from http://history-world.org/bab2.htm Encarta (2005). Ancient Egypt, Online Encyclopedia, Retrieved November 28, 2005, from http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_461511156_4/Ancient_Egypt.html Lesko, L.H. (1989). Ancient Egypt. The World Book Encyclopedia, E Vol 6, 133-142. Russell, R (2005). Ancient Babylonia Retrieved November 29, 2005, from http://www.bible-history.com/babylonia/index.html Read More