GEC108 - Science, Technology, and Society
Second Semester, SY 2022-2023
Name: ______________________________
Florly Mae H. Guiral
Section: ____________
B5
ACTIVITY 1
Written Report on Historical Antecedents of Science and Technology of
the World during the Ancient Period
The three-age-system categorizes historical periods into the Stone
Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age based on the types of tools used by
humans. Prehistory, which includes the Stone Age, spans from 2.5 million
years ago to 5,000 years ago, before the invention of writing systems.
Ancient history covers the period between the origins of human civilization
and the fall of ancient empires, including the Bronze Age (3000 BC) and the
Iron Age (1200 BCE to 600 BCE).
Stone tools and artifacts provide valuable evidence about the lives,
interactions, and evolution of early humans over the past 2.6 million years.
They are less susceptible to destruction than bones, making them the best
evidence of early human activity. The Early Stone Age (Paleolithic) began
with basic stone toolkits known as the Oldowan toolkit that includes
hammerstones, stone cores, and sharp stone flakes, while the Middle Stone
Age (Mesolithic) saw innovations like points, stone awls, and scrapers.
During the Later Stone Age (Neolithic), people experimented with diverse
raw materials (bone, ivory, and antler, as well as stone), craftsmanship
increased, and distinct cultural identities emerged.
The Bronze Age was a historical period that marked a transition from
nomadic lifestyles to advanced civilizations, and saw the widespread use of
metal technologies in tools and weaponry. The period lasted from
approximately 3300 BCE to 1200 BCE. Bronze tools, such as axes, plow
tips, and construction equipment, helped advance agriculture and city
building, while bronze weapons, including war axes, swords, and siege
equipment, were used in larger-scale warfare and battles. The Bronze Age
is divided into three sub-periods: the Early Bronze Age, characterized by the
use of bronze in work and war; the Middle Bronze Age, known for its
advancement in cities, civilization, and empire expansion; and the Late
Bronze Age, which saw the decline or transition of civilizations. At the end
of the Bronze Age, some civilizations and empires collapsed while others
transitioned into the Iron Age with the invention of iron and steel weapons
and tools.
The Iron Age succeeded the Bronze Age and began around 1200600 BC, during which people started using iron and steel to create tools and
weapons. Iron was superior to bronze, making sharper and stronger tools
such as swords, spears, plows, and sickles possible. Iron tools played a
significant role in the development of societies and kingdoms. Some of the
major Iron Age tools include Ard, sickles, plowshares, swords, lances, and
rotary querns. The discovery of limonite mineral made smithery possible,
and the Anatolian region in present-day Turkey was one of the first places
where iron tools were formed.
Ancient civilizations prioritized transit, navigation, communication,
recording, mass production, security, and safety, as people traveled in
search of sustenance and better locations for their communities.
Communication was crucial for trade and avoiding conflicts with the natives
of the regions they traversed. As the world's population grew, there was
increased pressure on limited resources, which led to the need for
technology to increase food inventories and meet survival requirements.
Additionally, ancient civilizations also focused on health, aesthetics, and
architecture, among other aspects.
The Sumerians were an ancient Mesopotamian civilization situated
between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. They were known for their close
interpersonal relationships and aspirations for greatness, which led them to
create many items related to science and technology. One of their most
significant achievements was the development of cuneiform, the first written
language. This allowed them to maintain important historical documents and
record their daily lives through word pictures and triangular designs that are
etched onto clay using wedge tools and then dried. As waterways were the
primary mode of transportation during ancient times, the Sumerians
invented sailboats to meet the growing demand for transportation and trade,
which allowed for the expansion of culture, knowledge, and science.
The Sumerians faced challenges in meeting the demands of
industrial production due to a growing population and difficult agricultural
conditions. They struggled to acquire water from the river, resulting in poorly
managed farmlands, with some areas experiencing water scarcity and
others experiencing flooding. To address this, they built dikes and irrigation
channels, which became one of the most significant technical achievements
in the world. They also developed the plow, which simplified the farming
process by allowing farmers to drop seeds immediately after the plow beaks
struck the ground.
The Sumerians had no formal education in engineering, yet they built
solid structures that still exist today. The City of Uruk and the Great Ziggurat
of Ur are excellent examples of their architecture. They created roads that
facilitated transportation and built the world's first city using river mud or clay
combined with reeds to make sunbaked bricks. The construction techniques
used to build the city were remarkable because building materials such as
stones and timber were scarce. They also constructed a fortification around
the city using the same technique to protect it from wild animals and raiders.
The Great Ziggurat of Ur was a religious site made of sunbaked bricks and
was accessible only to priests.
Another civilization that arose in ancient times was the Babylonian
civilization. The Babylonians excelled at construction, engineering, and
architecture. Babylonia was located near Tigris and Euphrates because
water is a fundamental necessity. The water provides them with food,
vitality, beauty, and the ability to move from one location to another. They
can trade products with other locations by using rivers, and they can also
use rivers to conquer and flee.
The Hanging Garden of Babylon, one of the seven marvels of the
ancient world, is one of their main contributions. Today, people can only
gaze at the majesty of Babylon's renowned Hanging Gardens through the
tales of scholars and artworks depicting the location. It was said to be a
building of layers upon gardens containing various plant, tree, and vine
types. However, tangible proof of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon has yet
to be discovered. Its precise position is still being determined.
The Egyptian civilization in North Africa is another early civilization
that is well-known for the heritage it left behind. Numerous tales describe
the architectural achievements of the Egyptians, particularly about the
infrastructures that the Pharaohs built. After the Egyptians developed
papyrus and paper, they abandoned engraving as a method of writing.
Consequently, the Egyptians developed the art of making ink by combining
charcoal with a variety of compounds to create inks of varying hues.
The Egyptians, much like the Sumerians, devised a method of writing
that involved the use of symbols. This method of writing is known as
hieroglyphics. The Egyptians believed that this writing system was supplied
to them by their gods, despite the fact that some people believe that
hieroglyphics was adapted from the early writing system established in
Mesopotamia due to commerce between different civilizations. There is
more to hieroglyphics than the simple writing of text. It also includes a wide
variety of symbols and illustrations, any one of which could cause a scientist
to understand the data or the meaning of the data incorrectly.
In today's society, using cosmetics is essential in boosting one's selfconfidence. They are utilized to enhance and emphasize a person's facial
characteristics; however, in ancient Egypt, cosmetics aimed to improve a
person's health and enhance their appearance. For instance, Egyptians
used to apply eyeliner around their eyes to prevent and even cure eye
illnesses by doing so. The creation of kohl involved the addition of the
element galena to either sulfur or malachite.
Another significant innovation attributed to ancient Egypt is the water
timepiece. This apparatus relies on gravity to control the movement of water
from one container to another. Through a succession of advancements
made by subsequent civilizations, this innovation also contributed to
developing the modern clock we use today.
One could say that Europe is the cradle of western philosophy. The
country of Greece is an archipelago off the coast of Southern Europe.The
greek’s mythical gods and deities piqued the interest of many students in
greek civilization. Because their nation is an archipelago, it allows them to
ambush or conceal from the adversary from any of its many islands, making
it a challenging country to conquer.
In the field of science, Leucippus and Democritus, two Greek
philosophers, were the first to propose an atomic theory. In math, they have
Pythagoras, who was perhaps the first to recognize that a complete system
of mathematics could be built and subsequently called the Pythagorean
Theorem.The alarm clock is one of the most commonly used devices today
that was created by the greeks. Although the alarm clock of this period did
not match modern timepieces, the goal was the same—to inform an
individual when to halt or start. Scholars say this innovation is similar to the
Egyptians but more complicated and precise.
Additionally, watermills were regarded as one of the most significant
accomplishments of Grecian civilization for the rest of the world. They were
widely used in farming processes such as cereal grinding and essential food
preparation. With the assistance of watermills, producing grains, cereals,
flours, and other similar goods in large quantities was possible.
Another civilization that thrived during ancient times was the Roman
civilization. The Roman civilization was a powerful entity in Ancient Western
Europe with a significant population and geographical footprint. Its influence
extended beyond politics to include religion and the law. The Roman
Empire's codified laws were a model for legislation due to its vast territory,
making it more complex and stable than other civilizations. This stability
helped in the subjugation of empires, contributing to the Roman Empire's
success in conquests. The Romans also made significant discoveries and
inventions, including newspapers, bonded documents or codexes, Roman
architecture and numerals.
Lastly, the Chinese civilization, known as the Middle Kingdom, is
Asia's oldest civilization. It is on the far eastern side of the said continent.
China is well-known among other ancient civilizations for its silk commerce.
Even today, China continues to maintain a near-complete monopoly on the
world's manufacturing.
Questions:
1. The three-age-system categorized the ancient period into _______.
2. Give at least 3 civilizations during the ancient period.
3. Cuneiform, the first written language, was developed by the _____.
References
M. (2022, March 10). Iron Age Tools And Weapons – Iron Age Tools
Information. Kidz Feed. https://kidzfeed.com/iron-age-tools-andweapons/
Bronze Age. Study.com | Take Online Courses. Earn College Credit.
Research Schools, Degrees & Careers. (n.d.). Retrieved
February 27, 2023, from https://study.com/academy/lesson/bronzeage-timeline-lesson-quiz.html
Stone Tools. (2022, June 29). The Smithsonian Institution’s Human Origins
Program. https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/behavior/stone-tools
Studocu. (n.d.-b). Module 1: Historical Antecedents in the Course of
Science and Technology - In this module, you will - Studocu.
https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/bulacan-stateuniversity/science-technology-and-society/module-1-historicalantecedents-in-the-course-of-science-and-technology/9147102