By Tim Lambert Toilets in the Ancient World In the ancient world, people were capable of designing quite sophisticated toilets. Stone Age farmers lived in a village at Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands. Some of their stone huts had drains built under them, and some houses had cubicles over the drains. They may have… Continue reading A History of Toilets
A Brief History of Washing
By Tim Lambert Washing in the Ancient World The Egyptians are known for their cleanliness (they bathed frequently) and they used many cosmetics. Meanwhile in Babylon before 2,000 BC a form of soap was made. The Greeks knew that diet, exercise and keeping clean were important for health. The Greeks even invented a form of… Continue reading A Brief History of Washing
A History of Surgery
By Tim Lambert Ancient Surgery Surgery was invented in the Stone Age. Some adults had holes cut in their skulls. At least sometimes, people survived the ‘operation’ because the bone grew back. We do not know the purpose of the ‘operation’. Perhaps it was performed on people with head injuries to release pressure on the… Continue reading A History of Surgery
A History of Clocks
By Tim Lambert Early Clocks Today we take knowing the time and the day of the year for granted but for our ancestors, it was far more difficult. Until mechanical clocks were invented in the 13th century there were various ways of telling the time. The earliest method of telling the time of day was… Continue reading A History of Clocks
A Brief History of Communication
By Tim Lambert Communication in Ancient Times The first means of communication was, of course, the human voice but about 3,200 BC writing was invented in Iraq and Egypt. It was invented about 1,500 BC in China. Other civilizations in Central America like the Mayans also invented systems of writing. The next big step was… Continue reading A Brief History of Communication
A History of Farming
By Tim Lambert The Farming Revolution After 9,000 BC a great change came over the world. Previously humans lived by hunting animals and gathering plants. Then about 8,500 BC people began to grow wheat, barley, peas, and lentils instead of gathering them wild. By 7,000 BC they domesticated sheep, pigs, and goats. By 6,000 BC… Continue reading A History of Farming
A History of Firefighting
By Tim Lambert Early Firefighting Fires were a major hazard in the past when towns were crowded and houses were often made of wood. Worse roofs were often thatched. In the Middle Ages, thatched roofs were banned in London because of the risk of fire. In smaller towns, thatched roofs were not banned till much… Continue reading A History of Firefighting
A History of the Industrial Revolution
By Tim Lambert In the late 18th century, everyday life in Britain and later other countries was transformed by the Industrial Revolution. Towns, industry, and trade had been growing for centuries, but in about 1780, economic growth took off. The Industrial Revolution meant a much higher standard of living for ordinary people. Britain became much… Continue reading A History of the Industrial Revolution
A History of Mathematics
By Tim Lambert Mathematics in the Ancient World Prehistoric people must have used simple arithmetic. However, when people became civilized mathematics became far more important. Proper record-keeping was essential. In Iraq, a people called the Sumerians counted in sets of 60. We still divide hours into 60 minutes and minutes into 60 seconds. We also… Continue reading A History of Mathematics
A Brief History of Measurement
By Tim Lambert Measurement of Distance and Weight People have always measured things. It was necessary to measure distances, and lengths and to weigh things. Today we take measurements for granted but for our ancestors making exact measurements was difficult. The earliest and most obvious way of measuring things was using parts of the human… Continue reading A Brief History of Measurement