Top 5 Most Amazing Feats of Ancient Engineering
Want to build a giant stone structure? That's no problem thanks to today's heavy equipment and modern building practices. But imagine the work that went into building some of the engineering wonders of the ancient world!
At Engineering-Management.net we decided to take a look at five of the most spectacular instances of egineering that emerged out of the ancient world:
Great Pyramid of Giza
- Built between 2584 and 2561 BC- Location: Giza Necropolis, Egypt
- Still exists
One of three pyramids in Giza, it is believed to have been a tomb for Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu. It took about 20 years to build the massive structure, the main in a complex setting of buildings that also includes two mortuary temples that honor Khufu. At 481 feet tall, the Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for more than 3,800 years (and we still don't know how the Egyptians were able to build the pyramids)
Antikythera Mechanism
- Built around the 2nd century BC- Found near Greece
- Still exists
The most complex device ever discovered from the ancient world, the Antikythera mechanism for years stumped the scientific community. It's now known the device is dedicated to astronomical phenomena and operates as a complex mechanical "computer" that tracks the cycles of the solar system. Discovered by divers near Greece more than a century ago, a team of researchers is still working to fully assess the function and significance of this shockingly sophisticated device.
Great Wall of China
- Built in 7th century BC- Located in China
- Still exists
There are actually three Great Walls, the longest of which was built during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). The wall we see today was largely built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), though some portions of the Han wall and Quin Dynasty wall still exist. The complete wall stretches about 10,000 miles. Throughout Chinese history, more than 20 states and dynasties built their own walls. In many places, the wall is actually three parallel walls meant to burther gird the cities against attackers.
Statue of Zeus at Olympia
- Built in 432 BC- Located in Greece
- No longer exists (earthquake and fire damage)
Sculptor Phidias had already rendered a 40-foot high structure of the goddess Athena for Athens' Partheon, but the 12 year project to create Zeus' likeness was to be considered his best work. When finished, the statue was 22 feet wide and 40 feet tall; that's more than twice Abraham Lincoln's height in his famous memorial. The statue's throne was made of gold, ebony and ivory and inlaid with precious stones.
Banaue Rice Terraces
- Built in the 1st century AD- Located in pre-colonial Philippines
- Still exists
Passed from generation to generation and most likely constructed by hand originally, the terraces, which take up about 4,000 square miles of mountainside, reflect a mastery of engineering that is impressive even today. Reaching a higher altitude and being built on steeper slopes than many other terraces, the complex had stone or mud walls. The carving of natural contours of hills and mountains made tarraced pond fields, which, coupled with the development of intricate irrigation systems, harvested water from the forests of the mountain tops.
