The Scientific Achievements of Ancient Egypt

With its pyramids, hieroglyphics, and outsize historical figures such as Tutankhamun and Cleopatra, ancient Egypt has long captured imaginations in the West. But Egyptian civilization is more than just a curiosity full of mummies and sacred cats—many scientific achievements of ancient Egypt have gone on to inform our lives today. Though there are too many to explore in the space we have, we can take a closer look at a select few of the Egyptians’ most enduring developments.

Ophthalmology

The health of the eye was of particular interest to Egyptians, who were among the world’s very first eye specialists. The history of ophthalmology as we know it began in 1500 BC, when Egyptian doctors explored topical treatments for afflictions of the eye. As the Greek origin of the word “ophthalmology” indicates, the developments of Egyptian civilization would soon cross the Mediterranean Sea to ancient Greece, where Greek doctors would build on them further.

Weights and Measures

We don’t measure by the cubit any longer, but Egyptians were among the first to standardize a system of measurement, in their case based on parts of the body such as the finger, palm, and forearm. The Egyptian system of measurement spread throughout Mediterranean cultures, and thanks to Egypt’s preservative climate and history of immaculate record-keeping, we are able to see how Egyptians revolutionized trade through standardized measures.

Paper-Making

All our abstract concepts and ideas would be nothing without a place to write them down. The Egyptians pioneered the production of paper by harvesting reeds from the wetlands along the Nile River. Papyrus isn’t compositionally identical to paper as we know it today, but ancient Egyptians’ production methods formed the rudiments of the modern paper-making process.

Metallurgy

One of the most important scientific achievements of ancient Egypt was the successful manipulation of metals into consumer objects. Egyptians were particularly adept at harnessing the malleability and ductility of copper, an important element whose industrial and commercial uses are widespread to this day. The ancient Egyptians were also skilled ironworkers as well as users of silver and gold, two of our most precious metals.