Great Technological Advances from Antiquity to the Renaissance

The Watermill

100 BCE

The Romans tied a rotating water wheel to geared shafts to create advanced mills. However, the technology did see widespread use in Europe until the Middle Ages.

The Arch

100 BCE

Along with the vaulted dome, the invention of the arch opened up the world of architecture allowing for the creation of great works such as the Roman Colosseum as well as the expansive bridges and aqueducts.

The Julian Calendar

46 BCE

Emperor Julius Caesar adds 12 days to the Roman calendar bringing the year up to the current 365 days. The calendar was surprisingly accurate, missing the solar year by just 11 minutes. It remained in effect in Europe until it was replaced by the Gregorian calendar in 1582.

Roman Roads

200

Over a 400 year span, the Romans built over 50,000 miles of roads through the empire. The roads were designed to allow for the rapid movement of troops and information but also supported the movement of trade. They were so well constructed that some are still in use today.

Heavy Plough

400

The heavy wheeled plow appears to have been invented in Northern Europe, where the heavy wet soil was hard to work. When it was later combined with horse power thanks to the horse collar, the production of agriculture was greatly simplified.

Horse Collar

700

While draft animals had been in use for centuries, the challenge of how to harness a horse to a plow in such a way that the harness did not restrict its breathing was not solved until about the 6th century. By the 8th century, horse collars were widely used on the hard solid of northern Europe.

Sutures

1000

Al-Zahrawi was a great Islamic surgeon. Among his many inventions was the use of catgut as a suture to sew up wounds and in surgery.

Wheelbarrow

1170

A simple machine used in farming, mining and construction, the wheelbarrow appears in Europe around 1170.

Textile Mill

1200

Woolen textiles are made stronger by compressing the woven fabric. This was done manually until the fulling mill was invented in the 13th century, powering hammers with a water wheel.

The Clock Escapement

1275

While clock towers had been built in China as early as 1094, accurate clocks were made possible by the invention of the escapement - a rod the alternately catches one tooth of a gear at a time, allowing for the gear to turn at a predictable rate.

Glasses

1280

Convex lens, used in glasses to correct for far-sighted vision, were invented in 1280 in Florence, Italy.

Spinning Wheel

1300

The spinning wheel, also known as the walking wheel, was invented in the 14th century to spin wool into yarn.

Canal Locks

1373

Early canals would transfer floating objects from one level of water to another by just opening a gate and letting the float through uncontrolled. The concept of a two gated lock that allowed for the object being transferred to gently adjust to the correct level is thought to have been first used in Holland in 1373.

Printing Press

1456

A skilled metalworker, Gutenberg spent years developing his movable type and printing press. Using six presses in the mid=1450's, Gutenberg printed copies of the Bible.

The Violin

1550

The violin was created sometime around 1500 likely by Andrea Amati of Cremona, Italy. The design allowed for four continuous octaves of music to be played on one instrument.