Engineering Heritage

First depictions of canoes, dugouts and rafts in Egyptian rock paintings.

The first depiction of a wheeled-vehicle is on a pot from Southern Poland.  It shows a wagon with four wheels and two axles.

The first depiction of a ship using cloth sails, in Egyptian paintings.

The potter's wheel is invented.

Steel is invented.

The æolipile, a simple steam engine, is invented by Hero of Alexandria.

A wind-power machine is developed by the Persians.

The horizontal windmill is in use in Iran and Afghanistan.

First human flight, according to popular myth.  Inspired by the Greek myth of Icarus, Brother Elmer, a monk at Malmesbury Abbey, creates a glider from wood and either linen or parchment.  Launching himself from a height of around 18 metres, he flies 200 metres before panicking and crashing, breaking both of his legs.

Tidal mills are in use in England and France.

The first recorded use of a post windmill, in Yorkshire.

A prototype handgun is mentioned in an order for iron bullets.

The modern printing press is invented by Johannes Gensfleisch Gutenberg.

Leonardo da Vinci conceives of flying machines, creating over 100 sketches to illustrate his ideas.

Mathematician and innkeeper William Bourne designs an underwater rowing boat, covered in waterproof leather.  The design is never built.

William Lee invents the knitting machine.

Cornelius Drebbel invents the first submarine, a human-powered submersible.  He holds successful trials in the Thames in 1624.

A primitive steam turbine is developed by Giovanni Branca.

Christiaan Huygens builds a gunpowder explosion-driven motor.

Denis Papin uses steam to move a piston.

Thomas Savery invents a basic steam engine.