Inventions of the ancient world
212 inventos y descubrimientos: año, qué es, de qué evolucionó y a qué llevó.
Cómo se conectan los inventos
| Año | Invento | Qué es | Evolucionó de | Llevó a |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3000 a. C. | Plata | A precious metal, the best conductor. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Sierra | A tool with a toothed blade. | Motosierra | |
| 3000 a. C. | Cincel | A tool for removing material by striking or pushing. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Viga | A horizontal load-bearing element. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Balanza | Scales based on an equal-armed lever. | Báscula electrónica | |
| 3000 a. C. | Remache | A pin that is hammered over to make a permanent joint. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Catéter Michele Troja | A tube inserted into a body cavity. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Velero | A ship driven by the wind. | Bote | |
| 3000 a. C. | Dado | Cubes for random numbers. | Teoría de la probabilidad | |
| 3000 a. C. | Silbato | A sound signal made by a stream of air. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Soldadura | A low-melting alloy for joining parts. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Escudo | A hand-held means of protection. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Patines de hielo | A blade on a shoe for gliding on ice. | Patines de ruedas | |
| 3000 a. C. | Bisturí | A surgical knife. | Cuchillo | |
| 3000 a. C. | Dique | An embankment against floods. | Presa | |
| 3000 a. C. | Arpa | A plucked instrument with stretched strings. | Guitarra | |
| 3000 a. C. | Pala | A tool for digging. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Pilote | A post that transfers loads into the ground. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Canalón | A channel for draining rain. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Tandoor | A clay jar-shaped oven. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Telar de cintura | A loom whose warp is tensioned by the weaver’s body. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Betún | A viscous mixture of hydrocarbons. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Horquilla | A hair clip. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Sinterización | Compacting a powder by heating it below its melting point. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Pantalones | The trousers of nomads. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Sombrero | Headwear. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Sutura quirúrgica | Stitching tissue with thread. | Grapadora quirúrgica | |
| 3000 a. C. | Calendario | A system for counting days by the cycles of the Sun and the Moon. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Correa | A waist belt. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Papiro | A writing material made from papyrus stems. | Papel | |
| 3000 a. C. | Teja | A roofing element of fired clay. | ||
| 3000 a. C. | Cultivo en terrazas | Stepped fields on slopes. | ||
| 2900 a. C. | Presa | A structure that holds back water. | Dique | |
| 2800 a. C. | Muletas | Supports for walking. | Silla de ruedas | |
| 2800 a. C. | Jabón | Salts of fatty acids used for cleaning. | Detergente sintético | |
| 2700 a. C. | Seda | The fibre of the silkworm. | ||
| 2700 a. C. | Ábaco | A counting board with movable pebbles or beads. | ||
| 2650 a. C. | Regla | A measuring strip with graduations. | Cinta métrica, Calibre vernier | |
| 2600 a. C. | Plomada | A weight on a string for checking the vertical. | ||
| 2600 a. C. | Pirámide egipcia | A monumental tomb built of stone blocks. | ||
| 2600 a. C. | Columna | A vertical support; the orders of antiquity. | ||
| 2500 a. C. | Tinta | A coloured liquid for writing. | ||
| 2500 a. C. | Alcantarillado | Draining waste water; the Cloaca Maxima, Bazalgette’s London system. | ||
| 2500 a. C. | Casco | Head protection. | ||
| 2500 a. C. | Puerto marítimo | A harbour with quays. | ||
| 2500 a. C. | Urbanismo | Regular grid layout of cities (Hippodamus). | ||
| 2000 a. C. | Campana | A cast ringing vessel. | ||
| 2000 a. C. | Shaduf | A well sweep for lifting water: a lever with a counterweight. | ||
| 2000 a. C. | Llana | A small blade for applying mortar. | ||
| 2000 a. C. | Ancla | A weight with flukes for holding a ship in place. | ||
| 2000 a. C. | Arco | A curved structure that carries loads in compression. | Cúpula, Bóveda | |
| 2000 a. C. | Rueda de radios | A lighter wheel that first appeared on chariots. | Rueda de bicicleta | |
| 2000 a. C. | Muñeca | A toy figure of a person. | ||
| 2000 a. C. | Cacerola | A vessel for boiling. | Cerámica | |
| 2000 a. C. | Prensa de quesos | Pressing whey out of curd. | ||
| 2000 a. C. | Mantequera | Churning butter from cream. | ||
| 2000 a. C. | Botón | A fastener. | ||
| 2000 a. C. | Carro de guerra | A light two-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle. | Carro | |
| 2000 a. C. | Kayak | A light paddle boat of the Arctic peoples. | ||
| 2000 a. C. | Salazón | Preserving food with salt. | ||
| 1900 a. C. | Criptografía | Encrypting messages. | ||
| 1800 a. C. | Alfabeto | A script in which each sign stands for a sound. | Escritura | |
| 1780 a. C. | Casa de hielo | A store of natural ice for keeping food cold. | Refrigerador | |
| 1700 a. C. | Fontanería Egyptians, Egyptians | Supplying water through pipes. | ||
| 1700 a. C. | Espada | A bladed weapon. | ||
| 1600 a. C. | Caucho natural | The sap of the rubber tree; balls among the Mesoamericans. | ||
| 1600 a. C. | Pelota | Rubber balls of the Mesoamericans; leather balls in Europe. | ||
| 1600 a. C. | Bisagra | A door’s pivot. | ||
| 1500 a. C. | Fuelle | A device for blowing air into a forge. | ||
| 1500 a. C. | Reloj de agua | Measuring time by the outflow of water. | Reloj mecánico | |
| 1500 a. C. | Yunque | A massive support for forging. | ||
| 1500 a. C. | Mercury | A liquid metal; thermometers and barometers. | ||
| 1500 a. C. | Reloj de sol | Telling time by the shadow of a gnomon. | ||
| 1500 a. C. | Tenazas de herrero | Hinged tongs for holding red-hot metal. | ||
| 1500 a. C. | Vendaje | Dressing material. | Apósito adhesivo | |
| 1500 a. C. | Tijeras | Two blades on a pivot — a pair of levers. | ||
| 1500 a. C. | Botella de vidrio | A glass vessel; machine production — Owens, 1903. | Botella de plástico | |
| 1500 a. C. | Fragua | A hearth for heating metal before forging. | ||
| 1500 a. C. | Alicates | Two lever jaws on a pivot. | ||
| 1300 a. C. | Torno | A machine that shapes a rotating workpiece with a cutting tool. | Torno de roscar | |
| 1300 a. C. | Puente | A structure for crossing an obstacle. | ||
| 1300 a. C. | Bóveda | A curved ceiling. | Arco | Cúpula |
| 1300 a. C. | Puente levadizo | A lifting span. | ||
| 1300 a. C. | Puente de arco | A bridge on an arch. | ||
| 1200 a. C. | Hierro | The metal of the Iron Age; the basis of steel. | ||
| 1200 a. C. | Horno de reducción | A furnace for producing iron from ore without melting it. | Alto horno | |
| 1200 a. C. | Lima | A steel bar with cut teeth for filing. | ||
| 1200 a. C. | Palillos | Two sticks — a third-class lever. | ||
| 1000 a. C. | Carbón | A fossil fuel — the basis of the Industrial Revolution. | ||
| 1000 a. C. | Camilla | A means of carrying the wounded. | ||
| 1000 a. C. | Hervidor | A vessel for boiling water. | Hervidor eléctrico | |
| 1000 a. C. | Escoba | A bundle of twigs for sweeping. | Cesta | Fregona |
| 1000 a. C. | Paraguas | A folding canopy on ribs. | ||
| 1000 a. C. | Cubiertos | Spoons, forks, knives. | ||
| 1000 a. C. | Andamio | A temporary structure for working at height. | ||
| 1000 a. C. | Horca | A tool for hay. | ||
| 1000 a. C. | Esponja | A porous material (synthetic ones since the 1930s). | ||
| 950 a. C. | Prótesis | An artificial replacement for a limb; modern ones are bionic. | ||
| 900 a. C. | Ariete | A log for breaking down gates. | ||
| 900 a. C. | Torre de asedio | A tower on wheels for storming walls. | ||
| 800 a. C. | Polea | A grooved wheel for a rope; changes the direction of force. | ||
| 800 a. C. | Qanat | An underground channel that collects groundwater by gravity. | ||
| 776 a. C. | Estadio | A structure for sports events. | ||
| 700 a. C. | Túnel | An underground structure (Eupalinos). | ||
| 700 a. C. | Cerradura y llave | A mechanical locking device. | Cerradura inteligente | |
| 700 a. C. | Silla de montar | A seat for a rider. | Estribo | |
| 700 a. C. | Cerradura de tambor de pines | Pins lined up by a key; the idea dates back to Egypt, the modern one to Yale, 1861. | ||
| 700 a. C. | Trefilado | Pulling metal through a die. | ||
| 700 a. C. | Dentadura postiza | Removable artificial teeth. | ||
| 600 a. C. | Imán permanente | A material with stable magnetization. | Magnetita | |
| 600 a. C. | Magnetismo | The attraction and repulsion of magnets; the Earth’s magnetic field. | Electromagnetismo | |
| 600 a. C. | Mapa | A scaled picture of an area. | Globo terráqueo, GPS, Mapas en línea | |
| 600 a. C. | Moneda | A metal token of value bearing a stamped image. | Papel moneda | |
| 600 a. C. | Electricidad estática | Charging by friction (Thales, amber). | ||
| 600 a. C. | Magnetita | A naturally magnetic mineral. | Imán permanente | |
| 600 a. C. | Acuñación | Transferring an image with a blow of a die — an early idea of mass reproduction. | ||
| 550 a. C. | Servicio postal | A letter delivery service (the Yam relay, the Persian post). | Correo electrónico | |
| 515 a. C. | Grúa antigua | An ancient Greek crane with a block and tackle and a windlass. | Grúa torre | |
| 510 a. C. | Canal | An artificial waterway. | ||
| 500 a. C. | Latón | An alloy of copper and zinc. | ||
| 500 a. C. | Hierro fundido | An iron alloy with a high carbon content. | ||
| 500 a. C. | Cometa | A tethered surface lifted by the wind. | Planeador, Estructura espacial | |
| 500 a. C. | Torno de cuerda | A drum with a handle for winding rope. | ||
| 500 a. C. | Compás | A tool for drawing circles. | ||
| 500 a. C. | Guadaña | A long curved blade for mowing. | Hoz | Cortacésped |
| 500 a. C. | Gatillo | A lever mechanism that releases stored energy. | ||
| 500 a. C. | Vibración de cuerdas | Pitch depends on length and tension (Pythagoras, Mersenne). | ||
| 500 a. C. | Hebilla | A belt fastener. | ||
| 500 a. C. | Pilotadora | A machine for driving piles. | ||
| 500 a. C. | Yo-yo | A disc on a string. | ||
| 500 a. C. | Mancuerna | A piece of exercise equipment. | ||
| 500 a. C. | Corcho | The bark of the cork oak. | ||
| 500 a. C. | Candado | A portable lock with a shackle. | ||
| 500 a. C. | Ballesta | A bow on a stock with a trigger mechanism. | Arco y flecha | |
| 500 a. C. | Zancos | Poles with foot rests. | ||
| 500 a. C. | Vela | A wick in solid fuel. | ||
| 400 a. C. | Catapulta | A throwing machine that stores energy in elastic parts. | Trebuchet | |
| 400 a. C. | Incubadora | A device for hatching chicks; with a thermostat — Réaumur. | Incubadora neonatal | |
| 400 a. C. | Cámara oscura | A dark chamber with a hole that forms an inverted image. | Cámara fotográfica | |
| 350 a. C. | Barril | A wooden container of staves bound with hoops. | ||
| 330 a. C. | Campana de buceo | A bell filled with air for working underwater. | Traje de buceo | |
| 312 a. C. | Acueducto | A conduit that brings water by gravity. | ||
| 300 a. C. | Engranaje | A toothed wheel that transmits rotation and changes speed and torque. | ||
| 300 a. C. | Rueda hidráulica | A wheel with paddles turned by flowing water. | Turbina, Turbina hidráulica | |
| 300 a. C. | Geometría euclidiana | Euclid’s Elements. | Trigonometría | |
| 300 a. C. | Noria de agua | A water-lifting wheel with buckets turned by the current. | ||
| 300 a. C. | Molino harinero | A mill for grinding grain into flour. | Molinillo de mano | Molino de rodillos |
| 300 a. C. | Cota de malla | Armour made of interlinked rings. | Armadura de placas | |
| 300 a. C. | Sakia | A water-lifting wheel driven by an animal through a gear. | ||
| 300 a. C. | Rompeolas | A structure that protects a harbour. | ||
| 300 a. C. | Molino de agua | A mill whose millstones are turned by a water wheel. | ||
| 280 a. C. | Faro | A tower with a fire for navigation; the Lighthouse of Alexandria. | ||
| 250 a. C. | Palanca | A simple machine that multiplies force through leverage. Described by Archimedes. | ||
| 250 a. C. | Válvula | A device that lets flow pass in one direction or shuts it off. | ||
| 250 a. C. | Bomba de pistón | Ctesibius’s pump: a piston draws in and pushes out liquid. | Máquina de vapor de Watt, Bomba de vacío | |
| 250 a. C. | Principio de Arquímedes | A submerged body is pushed up by a buoyant force. | ||
| 250 a. C. | Tornillo | A simple machine: an inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder; turns rotation into linear motion. | Plano inclinado | Rosca |
| 250 a. C. | Válvula de retención | A valve that lets flow pass in one direction only. | ||
| 250 a. C. | Tornillo de Arquímedes | A screw inside a tube that lifts water as it turns. | Hélice, Barrena | |
| 250 a. C. | Rosca | A helical ridge on a rod or in a hole. | Tornillo | |
| 250 a. C. | Cilindro | A hollow chamber in which a piston moves. | ||
| 250 a. C. | Barrena | A screw conveyor for loose and viscous materials. | Tornillo de Arquímedes | |
| 250 a. C. | Polipasto | A system of pulleys that multiplies force. | ||
| 250 a. C. | Órgano de tubos | A wind keyboard instrument; Ctesibius’s hydraulis. | ||
| 200 a. C. | Hormigón romano | Concrete made with lime and volcanic ash. | Argamasa | Hormigón |
| 200 a. C. | Brújula china | A lodestone spoon that points south. | Brújula | |
| 200 a. C. | Leva | A projection on a shaft that turns rotation into pushes. | ||
| 200 a. C. | Martinete | A hammer lifted by a cam on a water wheel. | Martillo | Martillo pilón |
| 200 a. C. | Esfera armilar | A model of the celestial sphere made of rings. | ||
| 200 a. C. | Tornillo sin fin | A screw-like worm turns a gear wheel at a right angle. | ||
| 200 a. C. | Wok | A Chinese round-bottomed pan. | ||
| 200 a. C. | Dedal | Finger protection when sewing. | ||
| 200 a. C. | Pergamino | A writing material made from prepared animal skin. | ||
| 150 a. C. | Astrolabio | An angle-measuring instrument and analogue calculator of celestial positions. | Cuadrante | |
| 150 a. C. | Trigonometría | The relations between angles and sides (Hipparchus). | Geometría euclidiana | |
| 141 a. C. | Papel Cai Lun | A material made of plant fibres; the oldest find is from Fangmatan (2nd century BC), and Cai Lun improved the technique (105). | Papiro | |
| 100 a. C. | Transmisión por correa | Transmitting rotation by a belt between pulleys. | ||
| 100 a. C. | Prensa de tornillo | A press in which a screw produces the force; used to press grapes and olives. | ||
| 100 a. C. | Trinquete | A toothed wheel with a pawl — rotation in one direction. | ||
| 100 a. C. | Hipocausto | Roman underfloor heating with hot air. | Calefacción central | |
| 100 a. C. | Cremallera y piñón | A gear on a toothed rack: rotation ↔ linear motion. | ||
| 100 a. C. | Fórceps quirúrgico | Tongs for grasping tissue. | Hemostato | |
| 100 a. C. | Cúpula | A three-dimensional arch that spans a round room. | Arco, Bóveda | |
| 100 a. C. | Encofrado | A mould for pouring concrete. | ||
| 100 a. C. | Cepillo de carpintero | A tool for planing wood with a blade in a stock. | ||
| 100 a. C. | Mecanismo de Anticitera | An ancient Greek geared mechanism for calculating the positions of celestial bodies. | ||
| 70 a. C. | Anfiteatro | An oval theatre with tiers (the Colosseum). | ||
| 50 a. C. | Soplado de vidrio | Blowing objects from molten glass with a blowpipe. | ||
| 15 a. C. | Odómetro | A distance counter; described by Vitruvius. | Taxímetro | |
| 30 | Invernadero | A glazed structure for growing plants. | Palacio de Cristal | |
| 50 | Eolípila de Herón | A ball spun by jets of steam — the oldest steam turbine. | Máquina expendedora, Turbina | |
| 100 | Vidrio de ventana | Glazing for windows. | ||
| 100 | Códice | A book of bound leaves instead of a scroll. | Lector electrónico | |
| 100 | Timón de codaste | A rudder hung on the sternpost (China; Europe from the 12th century). | ||
| 100 | Timón | A pivoting plate for steering a ship. | ||
| 100 | Carretilla | A one-wheeled cart — a second-class lever. | ||
| 100 | Catamarán | A vessel with two hulls. | ||
| 132 | Sismoscopio de Zhang Heng | A bronze vessel with balls that showed the direction of an earthquake. | Sismógrafo | |
| 132 | Sismógrafo | Records ground vibrations (Zhang Heng; modern ones use pendulums). | Sismoscopio de Zhang Heng | |
| 150 | Cuadrante | An angle gauge for measuring the altitude of celestial bodies. | Astrolabio | |
| 200 | Vela latina | A triangular sail that lets a ship sail against the wind. | ||
| 220 | Xilografía | Printing from a carved wooden block. | Tipos móviles | |
| 250 | Serrería de Hierápolis | The oldest known machine with a crank and connecting rod. | Aserradero | |
| 250 | Carro que señala al sur | A Chinese cart with a differential gear that keeps its figure pointing one way. | ||
| 300 | Estribo | A foot support for a rider. | Silla de montar | |
| 300 | Mayal | A tool for threshing by hand. | Trilladora | |
| 300 | Acero de Damasco | Patterned steel famous for the strength of its blades. | ||
| 400 | Hidrómetro | A float with a scale: the denser the liquid, the higher it floats. It is used to measure the density of milk, syrup or battery acid. | ||
| 400 | Trebuchet | A counterweight throwing machine. | Catapulta | |
| 500 | Collera | A harness that let a horse pull heavy loads without choking. | ||
| 500 | Numerales arábigos | The decimal positional system. | Sistema binario | |
| 500 | Herradura | Iron protection for a hoof. |