By: April Carson
Although ancient Egyptian society was highly advanced way before the ancient Greeks, ancient Romans and ancient Chinese were even thought of, there are still many people who do not know about some of their incredible creations. In fact, ancient Egyptian historical texts, which are available for all to read in some of the world's most prestigious libraries and museums, show that Egyptians were far more advanced than some people think.
Some people might argue that ancient Romans were more advanced than the Egyptians in areas such as architecture and engineering. That is true to some extent because ancient Romans developed one of the most impressive architectural structures when they built the Colosseum, which was not surpassed in terms of size and beauty until modern times. However, studies show that Egyptians were far more advanced than the Romans in a number of areas, including medicine.
The Egyptians were at the forefront of medical procedures, according to scientists who have studied ancient Egyptian medical texts and documented their findings in book. Some medical practices, which included surgery and setting broken bones, were not surpassed until several centuries ago. The Egyptians created many inventions that would go on to shape the world.
Here are a list of just six ancient Egyptian discoveries and inventions that you may be unaware of.
1. Paper
The Egyptians invented paper around 3000 BC and was made from papyrus. Papyrus is a type of reed that can grow in swamps and rivers, and consists of long stems about 0.25 inches thick which were sliced into thin strips and then compressed together to form sheets. Although Egyptian paper may not be as strong or durable, it is still very impressive as papyrus is a difficult material to work with.
2. Judicial system and the jury
The ancient Egyptians came up with an effective judicial system that tried offenders through juries made of Egyptian citizens who were responsible for finding the truth behind someone's innocence or guilt and making sure they're judged accordingly.
3. Writing
The ancient Egyptians were among the first civilizations to write and preserve records. The most ancient form of Egyptian script was hieroglyphics, which combined logographic, syllabic, and alphabetic elements and had a total of about 1,000 distinct signs.
4. Canopic Jars
Since Egyptians believed that the liver, lungs and stomach would be needed after death for a person's spirit to survive. To avoid this Egyptians would place the four internal organs inside canopic jars after death to store until they were needed by their spirits later on. These well preserved jars were often inscribed with Egyptian spells intended to ensure that canopic jars protect and aid their souls. Egyptians also believed that eyes needed to be preserved for the dead's' spirits to see in the afterlife, thus they would place both their eye balls into canopic jars after death.
5. Egyptian Money
The Egyptian economy was driven by a barter system, which used livestock and crops as a form of currency. However, Egyptians soon realized that this wasn't a very efficient way to trade so they created the first ever Egyptian money in the form of gold coins. This invention would enable trade to flourish without relying on livestock or crops.
6. The Egyptian Water Wheel
The Egyptians created water wheels to help irrigate their crops. The water wheel would be pushed around by the force of the Nile, which was then used to push water through irrigation canals. (As shown in photo)
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