All of these things originated in the days of Ancient Egypt.
Of all the ancient civilizations of the Egyptians today are one of the most well known. The pyramids they built, stand to this day, and their mummies and sarcophagi are valuable exhibits in the famous museums. But few people know that much of what are the modern people, was invented in the times of Ancient Egypt.
1. Math
The Egyptians had great knowledge of mathematics. The earliest records of geometry originated from Egypt, where specialists in geometry was called “harpedonaptae”. They used the rope to calculate the area of the land, and then eventually transferred this knowledge to the Greeks. The Egyptians in addition developed effective ways of multiplication and division and fractions.
2. Bowling
The Egyptians played a game very similar to modern bowling. Archaeologist sir William Matthews Flinders Petrie discovered the grave of a child, which contained coarse pins and small balls and came to the conclusion that it was the games. More solid proof of this theory was found during excavations of a residential district of the second century. In one of the premises found several balls, and a track with a hole in the middle.
3. Alphabet
Of course, today people don’t use the Egyptian alphabet, but the idea of the phonetic alphabet (where each character represents a whole word) came from Egypt. Ordinary Egyptian hieroglyphics used the symbol for each word, but there were also 24 characters, which were used for mapping of sounds in order to write borrowed foreign words.
4. Paper and letter
Although the Egyptians did not invent paper, which is used today papyrus was a huge step compared to the cutting of texts on stone and clay tablets with the point of view of ease of writing, and from the point of view of a lighter carrying with you. The Egyptians invented papyrus (and reed pens with which they wrote it) in 3000 BC, but began to use only in the 500 BC
Papyrus became one of the biggest export items of Egypt: it was very expensive and its technology is heavily guarded. Inspired by the example of Egypt, Europe eventually moved to the parchment, and then China invented paper in 100 BC, making it from mulberry bark and hemp rags.
5. Wigs
The ancient Egyptians had a dilemma: they did not want to go with long hair under the blazing sun, but they also didn’t want to get a haircut bald that the sun’s rays could not burn the scalp, as well as for reasons of fashion. In the end there was wigs. Protection from high temperature was not the only reason that Egyptians began to use wigs. They are also protected from head lice.
6. Medical records
People treated wounds of all types of herbs and chopped animal parts for a long time. However, thanks to its new and convenient methods of writing, the Egyptians left some of the old descriptions of medical procedures and medicinal recipes. Until now, scientists have found nine separate log of the papyrus, which refers to how the Egyptians treated patients.
7. Surgery
Continuing the theme of medicine, the Egyptians were the civilization which belonged to the earliest detected surgical tools. They were found in the tomb of Kara, who was known as “the Palace doctor, and Keeper of the secrets of Pharaoh.” In the grave near the head of Kara was found several bronze surgical instruments, each of which had a hole for hanging on hook.
8. Door locks
Actually, the Egyptians did not invent door locks (did the Assyrians), but the Egyptians popularized them and improved the original design. Egyptian designs are remarkably similar to those used today, except for the fact that the mechanisms were made out of wood or brass. In the end, it was much cheaper than hiring a security guard. Eventually, castles spread throughout Greece and the Roman Empire.
9. Toothpaste
Methods of maintaining cleanliness of the teeth already existed for some time, but the Egyptians invented the first ever tool for maintaining health of the oral cavity. In some Egyptian tombs were found toothbrushes that were made from twigs, wisp at one end. In the papyrus documents were found a recipe for toothpaste: 1 dram (0.3 grams) of rock salt, two drachmas of mint , 1 drachma of dried iris flower and pepper.
10. Glass
Evidence that people have created and used glass crafts, can be found in 3500 BC in Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations. Mainly glass is used in the form of small glass beads. The Egyptians then opened an effective way of vases, pouring into molds of compacted sand molten glass. The earliest discovered Egyptian vases were dedicated to the Pharaoh Thutmose III, and date from about 1500 BC
Source: http://www.novate.ru/blogs/080816/37536/
