I’m glad I didn’t live during prehistoric times!
Prehistoric sounds like a time when those terrible, overgrown “sauruses” roamed the earth. Ancient time doesn’t sound any better. Both were a time without indoor plumbing, electricity, and cell phones of any kind. That’s pretty repulsive and horrid! There were no Calgon, body washes, and aromatherapy to “take you away.” There was no “she rights” or she sheds.
That’s pretty oppressive, primitive and archaic.
But even during prehistoric and ancient times, the survival and ingenuity of humankind were amazing.
Crude but useful discoveries and devices were constructed. Some of these ancient findings were improved upon and modernized. For instance, the first fire was ignited using two rocks. Now there are matches, lighters, and other fiery inventions? The fire is the same, but the instruments and methods of ignition are different and much improved.
Like fire, many prehistoric discoveries are still vital for society.
And archaeologists continue to discover and unearth artifacts from various societies and times. The word prehistoric conjures up images of dinosaurs and cave dwellers. But prehistoric means a period before recorded or written records.
So, how ancient is prehistoric or human prehistory?
Wikipedia explains that human prehistory is the period between the use of the first stone tools, 3.3 million years ago, and the invention of writing systems. To say that expands a long time is an Argentitanosaurus understatement.
Just think. The prehistoric and ancient times were the present for people who lived then. So, regardless of the period people lived, they lived in the present.
The opposite of prehistoric or ancient time is modern time.
Modern time is relative to the present or recent times. Many consider modern time to be within the last 200 years. At one time, prehistoric was also modern time. But as it is with every period, peoples’ needs and cares are similar.
And for critical needs, “necessity is the mother of invention.”
Necessity drives observation and experimentation that results in solutions and inventions. And during these prehistoric or ancient periods, people managed to secure food, shelter, and security for their families.
Modern time inventions include airplanes, electric motor, computers, telephones, and other devices.
Whether it was Before Common Era (BCE or Before Christ), Common Era (CE or after Christ’s death), thousands of years ago, discoveries weren’t uncommon.
When Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonian Empire, conquered Judah in 586 BC, he carried away the most learned children. The children taken were “well favoured and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science.”
What was the science of that time? We are still digging into the ancient past for scientific evidence like the Baghdad Battery.
The Baghdad Battery is an example of an unusual ancient and crude device.
The period it was contrived and the purpose of the tool perplexed many scientists. The unearthing and discovery of the artifact was a historical, archaeological find. Approximated to be 2,000 years old, the artifact was discovered south of Baghdad in 1936 by railroad workers. Also called the Parthian Battery, scientists believe that the artifact was a primitive power source.
Alessandro Volta, an Italian physicist, invented what was thought to be the first electric battery in 1799.
They say, “great minds think alike.” Were there great minds during prehistoric and ancient times?
It’s mindboggling to think some genius tried to create an apparatus to produce electricity 2,000 years ago. The pervading thought is cultures during this time knew about and experimented with electricity.
Why are we surprised? There was a need for electricity, even then.
Of course, the 250 BC Baghdad Battery doesn’t hold a candle to Volta’s Voltaic pile. But that’s not the point. Any invention may be judged at least twice: for that period, and as a relic of the past.
How was the Baghdad Battery used? Was the discovery accidental or by design?
Discoveries are still being made from relics of past periods.
Exploring the unknown about the past and present will continue.
Who knows what the future holds about the past?
Thank God for electricity, body washes, she sheds, and cell phones!