Pre-dynastic Egypt

• Module 1 provides an overview of Science and Technology in the World

Objectives

• Analyze scientific revolution in different regions such as Latin America, East Asia, Middle East, and Africa
• Describe science and society during ancient times
• Explain science and technology developments in Greece, Persia, and Rome
• Describe science and technology developments in Arabia, China, and India

Civilization's Origins

• A "cradle of civilization" refers to a place where civilization emerged
• Current evidence suggests multiple independent civilizations, not a single "cradle"
  • Examples include the Fertile Crescent (Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia) and Ancient India and China
• Scholars debate the extent of influence between Near East civilizations and those of East Asia
• Civilizations in Mesoamerica (modern Mexico) and the Pacific coast of South America emerged independently from Eurasia

Defining Civilization

• Civilization is marked by writing, cities, class-based society, agriculture, animal husbandry, public buildings, metallurgy, and monumental architecture
• The term has been applied to:
• The Ancient Near Eastern Chalcolithic (Ubaid period)
• The Fertile Crescent
• Ancient India and China
• Ancient Anatolia
• The Levant and Iranian plateau
• Ancient Greece as a predecessor of Western civilization.

Mesopotamia

• The Tigris and Euphrates rivers created fertile soil and irrigation
• Civilizations emerged around these rivers as the earliest known non-nomadic agrarian societies
• The Fertile Crescent and specifically Mesopotamia are often referred to as the "cradle of civilization
• The Ubaid period (c. 6500 to 3800 BC) is the earliest known period on the alluvial plain, with possible earlier periods obscured
• Urbanization began during the Ubaid period.
• Agriculture and animal husbandry were widely practiced in sedentary communities, particularly in Northern Mesopotamia
• Intensive irrigated agriculture began
• Around 6000 BC, Neolithic settlements appeared throughout Egypt
• Settlers migrated from the Fertile Crescent in the Near East returning during the Egyptian and North African Neolithic Revolution and bringing agriculture to Egypt

Ancient Egypt

• Developed Neolithic cultures emerged similar to those in the Fertile Crescent around 10,200 BC and spread

• Simultaneously, grain-grinding culture using sickle blades replaced the hunter-gatherer culture with stone tools along the Nile

• Climate changes led to the desiccation of pastoral lands in North Africa, forming the Sahara, starting about 8000 BC. This forced inhabitants to settle along the Nile

• The oldest fully developed Neolithic culture in Egypt is Fayum A culture, from around 5500 BC

• By 5500 BC, small tribes in the Nile valley developed into inter-related cultures as far south as Sudan

• Showed firm control of agriculture and animal husbandry

  • Demonstrated by their pottery and personal items like combs, bracelets, and beads

• Badari, the largest of these early cultures in upper Southern Egypt, had high-quality ceramics, stone tools, and used copper

• Domesticated bovine in Africa date to Fayum around 4400 BC

• The Badari culture is followed by the Naqada culture, which brought technological improvements

• Egyptians imported obsidian from Ethiopia to shape blades and other objects beginning before 3300 BC

• Egypt was divided into two kingdoms by 3300 BC: Upper Egypt (south) and Lower Egypt (north)

• The Egyptian civilization began during the Naqda culture's second phase/Gerzeh period around 3500 BC

  • Unified Upper and Lower Egypt around 3150 BC

• Farming supported food supplies

  • Settlements grew to cities of about 5,000 residents.

• Mud brick construction and decorative use of arches and recessed walls grew popular

• Copper replaced stone for tools and weaponry

• Pottery symbols resembled nascent Egyptian hieroglyphs

• Evidence of contact with the Near East and sites like Canaan and Byblos

• Concurrent unification occurred among societies and towns, followed by the Nile Delta, or Lower Egypt

• King Narmer of Upper Egypt defeated enemies on the Delta, merging both kingdoms under a single rule

• The Early Dynastic Period followed unification

• First and Second Dynasties

• Lasted from Naqada III period until the Old Kingdom, c. 2686 BC

• The capital moved from Thinis to Memphis with a unified God-King

• Hallmarks of ancient art, architecture, and religion took shape

• Strong kingship legitimized state control over land, labor, and resources

Ancient India

• Bhirrana, dating to around 7600 BC, is one of the earliest Neolithic sites in the Indian subcontinent along the Ghaggar-Hakra (Saraswati) riverine system
  • Other Sites – Haryana, India
  • Lahuradewa is in the middle Ganges region and Jhusi is near the confluence of Ganges and Yamuna, both around 7000 BC
• Aceramic Neolithic Mehrgarh dates from 7000 to 5500 BC, up to 3300 BC
• Earliest evidence shows farming and herding
  • Culture centered around Mehrgarh likely migrated into the Indus Valley, becoming the Indus Valley Civilization
  • Earliest fortified town- Rehman Dheri, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near the River Zhob Valley, 4000 BC
• Other towns are Amri (3600–3300 BC), Kot Diji in Sindh, and Kalibangan (3000 BC) on the Hakra River
• Harappan Phase:
  • Indus Valley Civilization starts 3300 BC
  • Indus Script and citadels emerged
  • Trade networks (lapis lazuli and bead-making) formed
  • Villagers domesticated crops, Sesame seeds, peas, dates, cotton, water buffalo & animals,
  • Represented urban quality of life and centralized authority

Ancient China

• Modern scholars view Chinese civilization origins as the history of different cultures and ethnic groups influencing one another
• Culture centered around Mehrgarh likely migrated into the Indus Valley, becoming the Indus Valley Civilization
  • Early evidence for Chinese millet agriculture around 7000 BC
  • Earliest evidence of cultivated rice found at Chengtoushan near Yangtze River, 6500 BC
• Yellow River Valley
  • Neolithic Revolution
  • Center of Peiligang culture, 7000-5000 BC
  • Agriculture led to population increase, crop storage, and potential to support craftspeople and administrators, prominent site, Jiahu which might be earliest form of proto-writing
  • Some scholars believe the Jiahu symbols to be the earliest form of proto-writing in China
  • Archaeologists believe that the Peiligang culture had little political organization

Mesoamerica

• Coxcatlan caves-Tehuacán Valley
  • Evidence between 5000 and 3400 BC Sites-Sipacate, Guatemala and maize dating to 3500 BC
• Maize domesticated in Mesoamerica around 2700 BC
• Around 1900 BC, the Mokaya domesticated cacao
  • Archeological site provides evidence of cacao beverages

Olmec

• Development rooted farmers began at 5100 to 4600 BC
  • Emerged around 1600 to 1500 BC
    • First city was city of San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán
      • Fully coalescing around 1400 BC
      • The rise of alluvia was assist by the ecology of well-watered soil because the Coatzacoalcos environment encouraged dense population - Triggers of an elite class - Demand for artifacts
• The Mokaya may have been among the first cultures in Mesoamerica to develop society
  • Suggest early elites traded Jade and magnetite
  • Colossal heads
  • Large ceremonial site town
    • Attendance building and ceremonial centers
• While San Lorenzo controlled the Coatzacoalcos basin -Areas east and north were home to independent polities
• Wholesale destruction with many monuments occurred circa 950 BC likely with the result important river changing course

Module 2 discusses science and technology in the Philippines

• Science and technology in the Philippines is scientific and examines policy issues
• Department of Science and Technology (DOST) manages science and technology
  • Forestry councils the Metal Industry, Agri-Aquaculture The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) oversees national technology
• Development Undertakes technological science research and acquisition
• Philippine history linked to its progress and nation-building as well as the nation’s industrialization and socioeconomic conditions
• Current productivity is low for goods, international and national scientific Jun 28, 2018.

History

• Even before Spain colonized the islands, natives already practiced medicinal and therapeutic properties
• Philippines already had alphabet, numbering system, system of weights and measures and calendar
• Natives engaged in Farming, Mining, Shipbuilding Weaving.
  • Shipbuilding showed thinking Geometry the correct length ensured sailing vessel
• 12 vessels and boats fit Matryoshka large demonstration of subsets and volumes
• "Banaue Rice Sophisticated products of engineering by pre-Spanish and early Filipino eras.
• Early inhabited and had own tradition their Indigenous system. Provided sustainment to many years to organize life culture.
• Key found writing heavy Inscription(key) by way influenced heavy culture pre- European colonization Metal: upper elite.

Questions about Ancient Egypt before the dynastic period. Topics include Badari culture, political transformation, and the Gerzeh period. Also covers early agriculture, obsidian use, and symbols on pottery.