Ancient Indian science & technology
Ancient Indian science and technology covered all the major branches of human knowledge and activities, including mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, medical science and surgery, fine arts, mechanical and production technology, civil engineering and architecture, shipbuilding and navigation, sports and games. This is a dimension of ancient Indian heritage and contribution to the sum total of human knowledge, which has remained unnoticed vis-à-vis ancient India’s achievements in the realms of spiritual and philosophical plane. Grant Duff, a British historian of India has remarked: “Many of the advances in the sciences that we consider today to have been made in Europe were in fact made in India centuries ago”.
Ancient Indian science & technology Ancient India was a land of sages, saints and seers, and at the same time it was the land of scholars and scientists. Ancient India’s contribution to the heritage of world’s knowledge may be assessed by few examples: - Mathematics – Vedic literature is replete with concepts of zero, the technique of algebra and algorithm, square root and cube root.
- Astronomy – Rig Veda (2000 BC) refers to astronomy.
- Physics – Concepts of atom and relativity were explicitely stated by an Indian Philosopher around 600 BC.
- Chemistry – Principles of chemistry did not remained abstract but found expression in distillation of perfumes, aromatic, manufacturing of dyes and pigments, and extraction of sugar.
- Medical science & surgery – Around 800 BC, first compendium on medicine and surgery was complied in ancient India.
- Fine Arts – Vedas were recited and recitation has to be correct, which gave rise to a finer study of sound and phonetics. The natural corollary were emergence of music and other forms of performing arts.
- Mechanical & production technology – Greek historians have testified to smelting of metals in India in the 4th century BC.
- Civil engineering & architecture – The discovery of urban settlements of Mohanjodaro and Harrappa testify to the existence of civil engineering & architechture, which blossomed to a highly precise science of civil engineering and architecture which find expression in innumerable monuments of ancient India.
- Shipbuilding & navigation – Sanskrit and Pali texts have several references to maritime activity by Indians.
- Sports & games – Ancient India is the birth place of chess, snakes and ladders and playing cards.
Mathematics
Astronomy
Physics
Chemistry
Medical science & surgery
Fine Arts
Mechanical & production technology
Civil engineering & architecture
Shipbuilding & navigation
Sports & games
External link
Ancient India's Contribution to World's culture
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