15 AMAZING Ancient Engineering Methods
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00:00Hey guys, let's not sugarcoat it.
00:02These remarkable techniques showcase the early mastery of construction and problem-solving
00:07skills that enabled civilizations to create monumental structures and infrastructures.
00:12Today we're counting down 15 of the most incredible ancient engineering methods.
00:16Let's start with number 15, aqueducts.
00:19When it comes to incredible ancient engineering methods, few can hold a candle to the brilliance
00:24of aqueducts.
00:25In fact, aqueducts were a complete game-changer in ancient life.
00:29Their innovation and ingenuity can't be stated enough.
00:32So what were they?
00:34Well, they're an elaborate system of channels, pipes, and bridges that were designed to transport
00:38water from distant sources to urban centers.
00:41The Romans in particular produced aqueducts of unprecedented design.
00:45Even today, we marvel at the intricacy and precision of this ancient engineering method.
00:50Engineers had to overcome geographic obstacles to ensure a steady flow of water.
00:54So how did they do it?
00:56They used something readily available, gravity.
00:59By carefully calculating the gradient of the aqueduct channels, engineers harnessed
01:03the natural force of gravity to keep the water flowing.
01:06From there, they mapped out the best route for the aqueduct, and to navigate uneven terrain,
01:10they built bridges, tunnels, and even elevated channels with arches.
01:14One of the most amazing aqueducts is the Pont du Gard in southern France.
01:17This magnificent aqueduct was built in the 1st century CE, and it spans the Gardon River
01:23with three tiers of arched stone bridges.
01:25It carried water all the way from the Ur Spring to the Roman colony of Nemassus.
01:30One look at this aqueduct, and you can see why when it comes to incredible ancient engineering.
01:34It's aqueducts for the win.
01:3714.
01:39Hypocaust Heating We're going to stick with the ancient Romans
01:41for this next incredible engineering method, which is not surprising since ancient Romans
01:46did a lot of really innovative stuff.
01:48With hypocaust heating, ancient Romans found a way to keep their buildings nice and warm,
01:52which provided comfort and luxury.
01:55Hypocaust heating was a method that brought living and comfort to new heights during ancient
01:59times.
02:00It involved circulating hot air beneath floors and through walls.
02:03It was used in various buildings, paths, and villas, but to pull it off, the ancient Romans
02:07needed to have a pretty deep understanding of thermodynamics, as well as architectural
02:11engineering.
02:12The hypocaust system started with a network of hollow spaces, or ducts, built into the
02:17floors of buildings.
02:18Hot air was circulated through these ducts from a furnace or firebox found outside the
02:22main living area.
02:23The furnace would warm the air, and then the warm air would rise through a series of flues
02:27or pipes embedded in the walls and floors.
02:30This way, the warm air was distributed evenly throughout the room.
02:33It was actually pretty ingenious, and it became really popular in Roman bathhouses.
02:37The word hypocaust is derived from the Greek words hypo, meaning under, and kain, meaning
02:42to burn.
02:4413.
02:45Rock-Cut Architecture Sometimes, the most incredible ideas come
02:50from the simplest of sources.
02:52Take rock-cut architecture, for example.
02:54Instead of hauling building materials, like rocks, to another location and building structures
02:58out of it, rock-cut architecture carves buildings out of rocks in their natural setting.
03:03To make this, ancient peoples used a combination of manual labor and primitive tools, including
03:08hammers, chisels, and picks.
03:10It was pretty hard work, but it's actually pretty ingenious.
03:13Skilled artisans would meticulously carve away layers of rock to create facades, columns,
03:18and decorative elements.
03:19Even though building these structures was a tough go, they achieved some pretty astonishing
03:22levels of precision and detail.
03:25Now, rock-cut techniques were used by several different cultures around the world, but the
03:28most famous and most visually stunning example of this ancient engineering method comes from
03:33the Nabataeans in a city called Petra.
03:35They carved tons of buildings into these rose-colored sandstone cliffs here, from temples to tombs
03:41and even homes.
03:42Similarly, the ancient region of Cappadocia, which is known for its fairy chimneys and
03:46entire underground cities and churches, continues to amaze all of us today.
03:51The people of Cappadocia, including the early Christians fleeing persecution, carved elaborate
03:55underground cities right into the soft volcanic rock.
03:59They created entire subterranean communities that people flocked to for protection.
04:04No one needs to hide there anymore, but Cappadocia continues to be a place people flock to for
04:10tourism.
04:1112.
04:13Terraced Farming As civilization grew, so did the amount of
04:17people that needed to be fed, and as communities started to form, people quickly realized that
04:21simply gathering berries wasn't going to cut it.
04:24So, enter terraced farming.
04:26This ancient engineering method is a hallmark of agricultural innovation.
04:29It's been practiced by civilizations throughout history, but some of the most notable examples
04:33come from the Inca in South America and the ancient Chinese.
04:38So what exactly is it?
04:39Well, it involves sculpting deep slopes into flat platforms or terraces.
04:44This allows people to maximize arable land in regions that are mountainous or hilly.
04:49It's pretty tough to grow crops on steep mountainsides, so terraced farming provides areas where crops
04:54can actually grow.
04:55One of the most famous examples of terraced farming hails from the Inca.
04:59Inca terraces, known as andenes, were constructed using stone walls.
05:03They filled the stone walls with soil to create flat, fertile little platforms ripe for growing
05:08things like potatoes, maize, and quinoa.
05:11Because of these andenes, the Inca were able to grow crops in the rugged terrain of the
05:14Andes Mountains, and kept themselves well-fed despite the harsh environment.
05:19Another cool example of terraced farming are the Longji Rice Terraces in the Guangxi Province
05:23in China.
05:24These terraces are carved into the steep slopes of the Dragon's Backbone Mountain, which
05:28is the best name for a mountain.
05:29They've been cultivated for more than 700 years, and each terrace forms a series of
05:33cascading steps that provide some pretty amazing eye candy.
05:37These terraces are visually stunning, especially during the growing season, and interestingly
05:41enough, terraced farming is such an incredible ancient engineering method that it's still
05:44widely used today.
05:4711.
05:49Road Building You might not think that road building deserves
05:52a place on this list, but how hard can it be to build a road, right?
05:56Wrong, because we're talking about ancient roads here, roads that were built one rock
06:00at a time.
06:01In fact, road building is a cornerstone of ancient infrastructure development.
06:06It played a pivotal and crucial role in connecting distant regions and facilitating trade.
06:11Once road building came into play, there was suddenly an incredible interconnected network
06:15that spanned the continents, allowing people to travel, trade, and communicate much more
06:19frequently than they had before.
06:22It was no walk in the park building these ancient roads, they had limited resources
06:26and faced hostile environments, rugged terrain, and really bad weather.
06:30Despite all that though, they managed to construct durable and reliable roads.
06:34To find the most iconic examples of this type of road building, we, of course, looked
06:38to the Roman Empire.
06:39Roman engineers constructed a vast network of roads that spanned over 200,000 miles.
06:44These roads connected the far reaches of the empire all the way from Britannia to Egypt.
06:49Roman roads, known as the Valle, were built using a combination of stone paving, gravel,
06:54and compacted earth.
06:55They even included drainage ditches to manage water runoff.
06:59First they had to clear the path, removing trees, large rocks, and the like, then they
07:03had to level the ground.
07:04From there, they laid the foundation, which was either compacted earth or gravel.
07:08Stone slabs or blocks were then put on top of that foundation, creating a smooth, durable
07:12surface.
07:13One of the most famous Roman roads is the Appian Way or Via Appia.
07:17This road connected Rome to the port city of Brindisi in southern Italy.
07:20The road was built in 312 BCE and it was a sheer marvel of engineering.
07:26The Appian Way featured a wide, straight path lined with stone slabs.
07:30The Romans weren't, of course, the only ancient civilization to build them.
07:34The Great Wall of Roads from ancient China connected the capital of Chang'an to strategic
07:39regions.
07:40And the Inca Empire in South America also had an extensive network of roads, called
07:44the Qhapaq Nan.
07:45These roads weaved their way along the Andean terrain and connected the sprawling empire
07:50from modern-day Ecuador to Chile.
07:53Needless to say, with the advent of roads, faraway cities were now way more accessible,
07:58a true game-changer in ancient times.
08:00Road building had shaped the future of entire continents and empires.
08:0510.
08:06Canal Systems The importance of water was not lost on ancient
08:10civilizations.
08:11They knew they had to bring water from the source to where they needed it.
08:15Without a way to do this, people would be limited to living only along riverbanks and
08:19on the shores of lakes.
08:21But without a way to get the water where they needed, what was ancient civilization to do?
08:25Well, behold the beauty of canals, a massive breakthrough in ancient engineering.
08:30Canal systems allowed people to harness water resources so they could grow crops where they
08:34wanted and support urban growth.
08:37Some of the earliest known canal systems come from us from ancient Mesopotamian civilizations,
08:41namely the Sumerians and Babylonians.
08:44Because of their canal systems, these civilizations were able to flourish in the fertile valleys
08:48of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
08:50These early canal builders made a network of irrigation canals known as Shaddufs.
08:55These canals diverted water from the rivers to arable land so they could grow food year-round.
09:00But ancient China took canal systems to a new level when they built the Grand Canal.
09:05Grand Canal was built more than 1,400 years ago and it stretched for over 1,000 miles
09:09connecting the Yellow and Yangtze rivers with the capital city of Beijing.
09:14To call the Grand Canal impressive is a bit of an understatement.
09:18It remains to this day one of the most remarkable feats of ancient hydraulic engineering.
09:22This Grand Canal did all sorts of things, from transporting goods and people to help
09:26with flood control and providing water for agriculture.
09:29It was a massive undertaking.
09:31Huge amounts of land were excavated, locks and sluices were built to regulate water flow,
09:35and bridges and aqueducts were needed to navigate obstacles.
09:39And while the Grand Canal is easily one of the most extensive and impressive canals,
09:43canal systems can be seen in many ancient civilizations, which proves just how valuable
09:48they were.
09:509.
09:51Inca Stone Masonry Ah, the Inca, a fascinating, complex, sophisticated
09:56ancient civilization that continues to kind of baffle us today.
10:00So it should come as no surprise that they show up on this list of incredible ancient
10:03engineering methods.
10:05Behold, Inca Stone Masonry.
10:07It showcases precision and the craftsmanship of the Inca civilization.
10:11Now it's known more officially as Ashlar Masonry.
10:14The Inca were able to use this method to build some extraordinary monuments.
10:18We see it in its finest in the ruins of Machu Picchu and the Sacsayhuaman.
10:22The Inca ruled a vast empire that spanned much of western South America in the 15th
10:27and early 16th centuries.
10:28They knew all the ins and outs of stone.
10:30They used this knowledge to create incredible structures.
10:34They took massive stone blocks and quarried them, shaped them, and then fit them together
10:38with precision.
10:39Each stone was meticulously shaped to interlock seamlessly with its neighboring stones.
10:44This created a tight, mortarless bond, and these surfaces were so uniform that the structures
10:48were solid.
10:49So much so that their stone masonry rivals modern construction techniques.
10:53They incorporated features like trapezoidal doorways, angled walls, and recessed niches
10:58that further enhanced the integrity of their buildings.
11:01These buildings were so strong they could even withstand all that pesky seismic activity
11:04in the region.
11:05Earthquakes and other natural disasters were no match for the stone masonry of the Inca,
11:10which is why there are still some examples of this method still kicking around today.
11:158.
11:16The Qanat Systems When you live in an arid or semi-dry region,
11:21an inaccessible water source can be problematic.
11:24Well, not if you look underground, though.
11:27Welcome to the wonderful world of Qanat systems, otherwise known as qanats or qaris.
11:32These things are ingenious underground water management systems that originated in ancient
11:36Persia.
11:37They were used to tap into groundwater sources and transport that water to agricultural fields,
11:42as well as urban settlements.
11:44Dating back over two millennia, Qanat systems are highly remarkable in their engineering.
11:49They've sustained many civilizations in regions where water isn't easily found.
11:53Engineers would then dig a series of underground tunnels known as the qanats or mother wells.
11:58These tunnels would intercept and capture the groundwater.
12:01They were typically dug at a slight downward slope, so our good friend gravity could lend
12:05a hand.
12:06Along the way, they would also build vertical shafts to provide ventilation and access for
12:10maintenance if anything needed fixing.
12:12Once it reached its desired destination, like an agricultural field or settlement, it would
12:16collect in a vertical well called a qanat.
12:19From there, water could be retrieved using buckets or pumps, or the water could make
12:23its way to fields or buildings via a network of smaller channels or pipes known as sous,
12:27which branched off from the main qanat tunnel.
12:30Needless to say, these systems played a critical part in the overall development of ancient
12:33civilizations in the Middle East and in Central Asia, and the systems were so effective, they
12:38are still used today in several parts of the world, including Iran, Afghanistan, and North
12:42Africa.
12:45Moving on to number 7, the Step Pyramid Construction.
12:48So, the pyramids of ancient Egypt are a source of amazement, but before we had the iconic
12:53smooth-sided pyramids, we had pyramids of a different type.
12:57These earlier pyramids were built using a method called step pyramid construction.
13:02This method is a hallmark of ancient Egyptian architecture.
13:04In fact, it represents one of the earliest forms of monumental stone construction.
13:09Step pyramid construction developed during the Early Dynastic Period, which is roughly
13:133100 to 2700 BCE.
13:16These pyramids were built by stacking rectangular stone blocks in progressively smaller layers.
13:21The result was a series of stepped levels that resembled a staircase, hence the name.
13:26The construction began by digging up a rectangular pit or trench known as a mastaba.
13:32This was the foundation.
13:33The mastaba was then reinforced with mud bricks or stone blocks, and there was a nice solid
13:36base to build on.
13:38Each layer of the pyramid was stacked horizontally, and the layers were called courses.
13:42The outer layers sloped inwards to create a stepped profile.
13:45The gaps between the stones were filled with rubble or mortar, so the pyramid was nice
13:49and stable, and this continued all the way up to the stone blocks getting smaller and
13:53smaller.
13:54The final layer was usually topped off with a small shrine or a chapel and various religious
13:58artifacts dedicated to the deity or pharaoh they were put inside.
14:03The Pyramid of Djoser, located at the Saqqara Necropolis near Memphis in Egypt, is widely
14:08considered to be one of the most famous examples of stepped pyramids, as well as the earliest
14:12colossal stone structure in Egypt.
14:14This pyramid started as a mastaba tomb, but it was later expanded into a six-tiered stepped
14:19pyramid.
14:20It's 203 feet tall and included a mortuary temple, courtyards, and subsidiary tombs.
14:26The Pyramid of Djoser, with its stepped construction, marked a turning point in Egyptian architecture.
14:31It paved the way for the development of more advanced pyramid designs such as the Bent
14:35Pyramid, the Red Pyramid, and ultimately, the iconic Great Pyramid of Giza.
14:416.
14:42Dome Construction You've probably already seen some examples
14:46of epic dome construction.
14:48The Pantheon in Rome, for example, is a popular one.
14:51Dome construction at its heart was mastered by several ancient civilizations, including
14:55the Romans and Byzantines.
14:57But more than that, it represents a pinnacle of engineering because it demonstrates an
15:01advanced knowledge of materials, geometry, and structural stability.
15:05There's a lot to consider, such as the size of the dome, the materials to be used, and
15:09what the building was being used for.
15:11The shape of the dome is typically determined by a series of mathematical calculations and
15:15geometric principles, so designing these structures is no joke.
15:19It takes a lot of math.
15:20For ancient civilizations, they didn't have a ton of materials available to them, so they
15:25generally built their domes out of stone, brick, concrete, and later, reinforced concrete.
15:29For a lot of ancient domes, specifically those built by the ancient Romans, the individual
15:33bricks or stone that were laid in a series of horizontal courses, with each course slightly
15:37smaller in diameter than the one below it.
15:40They were then carefully shaped and fitted together to create a smooth, seamless surface,
15:44and then mortar or other binding agents were applied to stick the stones in place.
15:48And as I mentioned, the Pantheon is one of the most famous examples of this.
15:51It was built by the Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century CE.
15:55It features a massive, concentric dome, which spans over 142 feet in diameter.
16:01But in addition to the Pantheon, the Byzantine Empire also produced remarkable examples of
16:05dome construction, including the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul in Turkey.
16:09This was built in the 6th century CE.
16:12It features a massive dome spanning over 100 feet in diameter.
16:15Ah man, dome engineering, it was so effective, it's still used today.
16:19Although creating the structures today isn't nearly as impressive as creating them in the
16:23past was.
16:255.
16:26Mesoamerican Ball Courts It's not just functionality when it comes
16:31to ancient engineering methods.
16:33Some methods are on the side of fun.
16:35Mesoamerican ball courts were a prominent feature of ancient civilizations like the
16:39Maya and the Aztecs.
16:41These were venues that were used by elite societies for ritualistic ball games.
16:46These ball courts were characterized by their distinctive architecture, and they played
16:49a really big role in ancient culture.
16:51For example, most ball courts were constructed in a rectangular shape, with long, narrow
16:55playing alleys.
16:57These alleys were then flanked by sloping walls or platforms on either side, and the
17:01ends of the court often featured stone rings or hoops.
17:04These hoops were then put up high on the opposing walls, and to play, players would attempt
17:08to pass a rubber ball using only their hips or elbows.
17:12Some of these courts were really big, measuring over hundreds of feet in length.
17:16The biggest ones were found in the biggest ceremonial centers and royal palaces.
17:20One of the most famous examples of these ball courts can be found at the ancient Maya site
17:24of Chichen Itza.
17:25The Great Ball Court at Chichen Itza is one of the largest and best-preserved courts in
17:30Mesoamerica.
17:31It even has intricately carved stone reliefs and sculptures depicting ballgame players,
17:36gods, and mythological creatures.
17:38But civilizations developed better and better methods to build these courts over time.
17:424.
17:44CORBEL ARCH CONSTRUCTION Corbel arch construction was a real breakthrough
17:49in engineering.
17:50It was innovative and allowed for the creation of doorways, passages, and even tombs with
17:55curved, vaulted ceilings.
17:57This corbel arch construction involved stacking overlapping stones or bricks in a stepped
18:01fashion to create an arch shape.
18:03This provided structural support and stability without the need for any keystone blocks or
18:08mortar, plus it looked pretty cool.
18:10The corbel arch is also known as a false arch or corbeled arch.
18:13It's actually pretty complicated.
18:15By definition, it relies on the principles of cantilevering, where successive layers
18:19of stones or bricks are offset slightly inward with each layer, gradually losing the gap
18:24until the two sides meet at the apex.
18:26As you can see, figuring this out wasn't for the faint of heart, and the fact that
18:30ancient civilizations were able to do this is pretty cool.
18:33One of the earliest known examples can be found in the ancient Egyptian tombs at Saqqara.
18:38These tombs date back to over 4,500 years ago.
18:41They were built with corbeled stone ceilings, and these ceilings spanned the burial chambers.
18:45The ancient Maya civilization of Mesoamerica also employed corbel arch construction.
18:50From ceremonial temples to palaces to tombs, Mayan architects used limestone blocks to
18:55create these corbeled, vaulted ceilings.
18:58These arches were versatile and durable, and the fact that these ancient civilizations
19:01were able to conceive of and achieve this sort of construction is still a source of
19:06wonder today.
19:083.
19:10Siege Engineering When we think of engineering methods, we tend
19:14to think of construction, but this next one is an entirely different sort of engineering.
19:19Siege engineering was a crucial aspect of ancient warfare.
19:22It involved developing and deploying various techniques and machines, all designed to breach
19:26the defensive fortifications of military sieges.
19:30Basically, anything that was designed to get through fortifications can be classified as
19:33siege engineering.
19:34However, over time, they realized that some things just worked better than others, and
19:38the things that worked quickly became the go-tos for warfare.
19:42Obstacles were things like city walls, fortresses, and castles.
19:46To employ and create this type of engineering showed that the ancient people had a pretty
19:50strong grasp of things like mechanics and tactics.
19:53One of the earliest known siege techniques employed was the battering ram.
19:56It was a large wooden beam with a metal head or tip that they would use to repeatedly strike
20:01against the walls or gates.
20:03They'd swing the ram back and forth until it broke through.
20:06Another common method was the siege tower.
20:08This was a tall wooden structure that was mounted on wheels or rollers.
20:13It was pushed up to the walls of a city to provide cover for assaulting troops.
20:17Siege towers usually had ladders, ramps, and platforms where soldiers attacked their enemy
20:21on the walls.
20:22Or, they could bore boiling hot oil over them, or even send down a slew of projectiles.
20:28And catapults were highly effective, since they were capable of hurling large stones
20:32over the walls of a city.
20:34Needless to say, they helped shape the course of ancient warfare.
20:37Cities couldn't simply lock down and hide behind their walls anymore.
20:41When siege engineering came into play, it was a real game-changer.
20:442.
20:47Ancient Greek Acoustic Sound Engineering Sound engineering is all the rage in today's
20:52acoustic tech world, but its history is long and varied.
20:56Long before we had microphones, we had ancient Greek acoustic engineering.
21:01Throughout ancient Greece, from the theaters of Athens to the temples of Delphi, acoustic
21:05engineers showcased a highly sophisticated understanding of how to optimize large spaces.
21:11One of the most famous examples of the Greek acoustic engineering is the Theater of Epidaurus.
21:16This bad boy of acoustic engineering is located in the Peloponnese region of Greece.
21:20Even the faintest whisper can be heard clearly by audience members seated in the highest
21:24tiers of the auditorium.
21:26So why was it so effective?
21:28Well, the exceptional acoustics of this theater are attributed to several factors.
21:32The first is the shape of the seating area, the second is the design of the stage and
21:36the orchestra, and the third is the use of natural materials.
21:39At a closer look, the curved shape of the seating area, for example, helps to focus
21:43sound waves towards the center of the theater, and the steep incline of the tiers prevents
21:48sound from dissipating.
21:50Other examples of this stellar sound space that are utilized highly effectively are the
21:54theaters of Dionysus in Athens and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
21:58But it wasn't just used in theaters.
22:01Ancient Greek temples were also made use of sound engineering.
22:04The Temple of Apollo at Delphi, for example, was renowned for its oracle.
22:09This was a sacred chamber where priests would deliver all sorts of prophetic pronouncements.
22:13The design of the temple, complete with that circular shape and its glorious roof, with
22:18the use of reflective materials helped make the temple an acoustically resonant space.
22:231.
22:25Pyramid Construction So, pyramid construction, of course, stands
22:29as the most enduring marvel of ancient engineering.
22:31The Great Pyramid of Giza, anyone?
22:33Look at these ancient pyramids, and it's easy to see why this engineering method was so
22:37incredible.
22:38It showcases remarkable skill and ingenuity of civilizations.
22:41But let's be real, when it comes to pyramids, the ancient Egyptians had the stronghold on
22:46pyramid construction.
22:47The beauty of them lies in the precise geometric proportions.
22:51In fact, those proportions were so precise, they continue to make us curious even to this
22:55day.
22:56To build the pyramids, they had to quarry massive stone blocks and then transport them,
23:00which is a whole different topic.
23:02But once the stones were at the site, they had to stack them precisely and accurately
23:06to create the massive, smooth-sided structures we have today.
23:09So, they had to accurately form these blocks to the exact sizes.
23:13They need to transport them and then fit them into the pyramid.
23:17These stones were meticulously stacked and aligned from the core structure of the pyramid.
23:22For famous examples, you really don't have to look any further than the Great Pyramid
23:25of Giza to see pyramid engineering at its finest.
23:28The Great Pyramid of Giza, constructed during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu in the 26th century
23:32BCE, stands as the most iconic example.
23:36It's made up of over 2 million limestone blocks, weighing up to 80 tons each.
23:40The pyramid was ambitious, wondrous, and downright amazing.
23:43It's withstood the test of time, and it stands proud in the desert as a legacy to the mysterious
23:48and highly advanced ancient Egyptians.
23:51It should come as no surprise that this pyramid construction has earned the top spot on this
23:54list.
23:55Thanks for watching, everyone.
23:56I'll see you next time.