Major Contributions Made By Ancient Egyptians And Babylonians To Essay

Major Contributions Made By Ancient Egyptians And Babylonians To Science - Essay Example The ancient Egyptians were masters of the arts of stone working and metal working and the production of faience and glass. Their products were used throughout the ancient world. Their understanding of astronomy was very advanced, and this knowledge was passed on to the generations that followed. In mathematics, they developed basic concepts in arithmetic and geometry. The ancient Egyptians understood the idea of fractions and knew how to add them. Some of the mathematical texts taught the finer points of arithmetic, geometry, and even word problems, and are not unlike modern primers. These and other texts indicate that the ancient Egyptians understood and could add fractions and could even find the area of a trapezoidal pyramid. Without the advanced mathematics they originated, the ancient Egyptians would not have been able to build the pyramids and other large structures (Encarta, 2005). Egyptian scholars wrote some of the earliest known medical texts. These texts deal with topics such as internal medicine, surgery, pharmaceutical remedies, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. Medical papyri taught physicians how to deal with both internal medicine and surgery (Encarta, 2005). Ancient Egyptians doctors were the first physicians to study the human body scientifically. They studied the structure of the brain and knew that the pulse was in some way connected with the heart. They could set broken bones, care for wounds, and treat many illnesses. Some doctors specialized in the field of medicine, such as eye defects or stomach disorders (Lesko, 1989).