What inventions were in ancient India. What were the inventions in medieval India

The ideals that illuminated my path and gave me courage and courage were kindness, beauty and truth. Without a sense of solidarity with those who share my convictions, without the pursuit of the eternally elusive objective in art and science, life would seem to me absolutely empty.

India is an ancient country about 8 thousand years old. The amazing Indian people lived on its territory. Which were divided into several social classes. Where priests played an important role. Although historians do not know who ruled such an amazing state. The Indians had their own language and script. Their letters cannot be deciphered by scientists to this day. The ancient Indians gave humanity such agricultural crops as cotton and sugar cane. They made a thin fabric of chintz. They have tamed the world's largest animal, the elephant. They worshiped and believed in different gods. What was invented in ancient India. Animals were deified. Along with the gods, the Vedas, the Sanskrit language and the Brahmins were revered as the guardians of culture and sacred knowledge. Brahmins were considered living gods. This is a very interesting state and people.

ancient state of india

Location and nature. In the south of Asia, behind the Himalayan range, there is an amazing country - India. Its history goes back almost 8 thousand years. However, modern India differs in size from the ancient country of the same name. In terms of area, Ancient India was approximately equal to Egypt, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Iran, Syria, Phenicia and Palestine combined. This vast territory had a variety of natural conditions. In the west, the Indus River flowed, it rained relatively infrequently, but in summer there were large floods. Vast steppes spread out here. In the east, the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers carried their waters to the Indian Ocean. It always rained heavily here, and the whole land was covered with marshy swamps and impenetrable jungle. These are dense thickets of trees and shrubs, where twilight reigns even during the day. The jungle was inhabited by tigers, panthers, elephants, poisonous snakes and a huge variety of insects. The central and southern parts of India in ancient times were mountainous spaces, where it was always hot and there was a lot of rain. But the abundance of moisture was not always a blessing. Dense vegetation and swamps were a big obstacle for ancient farmers armed with stone and copper axes. Therefore, the first settlements appear in India in the less wooded north-west of the country. The Indus Valley had another advantage. It was closer to the ancient states of Western Asia, which facilitated communication and trade with them.

State formation in ancient India

So far, scientists have little information about the social system and culture of Indian cities. The fact is that the writing of the ancient Indians has not yet been deciphered. But today it is known that in the III and the first half of the II millennium BC. e. in the Indus Valley there was a single state with two capitals. These are Harappa in the north and Mohenjo-Daro in the south. The inhabitants were divided into several social classes. It is not known exactly who ruled the state. But priests played a big role. With the decline of the Indian state, the public organization also collapsed. Writing has been forgotten. Appearing in the middle of the II millennium BC. e., the Aryans brought with them their social organization. It was based on the division of society into "ours" (Aryans) and "strangers" (dases). Using the right of the conquerors, the Aryans gave the Dasas a dependent position in society. There was also a division among the Aryans themselves. They were divided into three estates-varnas. The first and highest varna was the brahmins - priests, teachers, guardians of culture. The second varna is the kshatriyas. It was made up of the military nobility. The third varna - vaishyas - included farmers, artisans and merchants. At the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. the fourth varna, the sudras, also appeared. It means "servant". This varna included all non-Aryans. They were obliged to serve the first three varnas. The lowest position was occupied by the "untouchables". They did not belong to any of the varnas and were obliged to do the dirtiest work. With the development of crafts, the growth of population and the complication of social life, in addition to varnas, an additional division into professions appeared. This fragmentation is called division into castes. And in a certain varna, like a caste, a person fell by birthright. If you are born in a brahmin family, you are a brahmin; if in a sudra family, you are a sudra. Belonging to one or another varna and caste determined the rules of behavior for every Indian. The further development of Indian society led in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. to the emergence of kingdoms headed by rajas. (In ancient Indian "raja" means "king".) At the end of the 4th century. BC e. a mighty empire is formed in India. Its founder was Chandragupta, who stopped the advance of the army of Alexander the Great. This power reached its highest power under the grandson of Chandragupta Ashok (263-233 BC). Thus, already in the III-beginning of the II millennium BC. e. India had a state. It not only was not inferior in its development, but at times surpassed Egypt and Mesopotamia. After the decline of Indian culture and the arrival of the Aryans, the social structure of ancient Indian society became more complicated. Its culture was created by the Aryans with the participation of the local population. At this time, a caste system is formed. A mighty empire arose. Modifying, the ancient Indian culture has existed to this day.

economic life

Already in the III millennium BC. e. The main occupation of the inhabitants of the Indus Valley was agriculture. They grew wheat, barley, peas, millet, jute and, for the first time in the world, cotton and sugar cane. Animal husbandry was well developed. The Indians raised cows, sheep, goats, pigs, donkeys, elephants. The horse came later. The Indians were well acquainted with metallurgy. The main tools of labor were made of copper. What was invented in ancient India. Knives, spear and arrowheads, hoes, axes and much more were smelted from it. Artistic casting, masterful stone processing, alloys, among which bronze occupied a special place, were no secret to them. The Indians knew gold and lead. But iron at that time they did not know. The craft was also developed. Spinning and weaving played an important role. The craftsmanship of the jewelers is impressive. They worked precious metals and stones, ivory and shells. Maritime and land trade reached a high level. In 1950, archaeologists found the first port in history for anchoring ships at low tide. The most active trade was with the Southern Mesopotamia. Cotton and jewelry were brought here from India. Barley, vegetables, fruits were brought to India. There were trade links with Egypt and the island of Crete. Probably, the Indians also exchanged with neighboring nomadic peoples and even built a city on the Amu Darya River. With the decline of Indian culture, economic life came to a standstill. Appeared in the middle of the II millennium BC. e. The Aryans were nomads and lagged far behind the Indians in economic development. The only thing in which the Aryans were ahead of the Indians was in the use of the horse. Only at the turn of II - I millennia BC. e. the new population of India - the Indians - again switched to agriculture. Crops of wheat, barley, millet, cotton and jute appeared. The farmers of the Ganges River valley gathered especially large crops. Along with the horse and cattle, the elephant occupied an important place in the economy. With its help, people successfully fought the impenetrable jungle. Metallurgy is developing. Having quickly mastered bronze, already at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. Indians learned how to mine iron. This greatly facilitated the development of new lands previously occupied by swamps and jungles. The craft is also being revived. Again, a prominent place in the economy is occupied by pottery and weaving. Indian cotton fabrics were especially famous, products from which could be threaded through a small ring. These fabrics were very expensive. In honor of the goddess of arable land, Sita, they were called chintz. There were also simpler cheap fabrics. Only trade remained at a low level. It was limited to the exchange of goods between neighboring communities. Thus, the ancient Indians gave humanity such agricultural crops as cotton and sugar cane. They have tamed the world's largest animal, the elephant.

CULTURE OF ANCIENT INDIA

Languages ​​and writing of ancient India. At the end of the III millennium BC. e. India was a major power with a highly developed culture. But it is not yet known what language the inhabitants of the Indus Valley spoke. Their writing is still a mystery to scientists. The first inscriptions of the Indians belong to the XXV - XIV centuries. BC e. The Indian script, which has no similarity, has 396 hieroglyphic characters. They wrote on copper tablets or clay shards, scratching the written characters. The number of characters in one inscription rarely exceeds 10, and the largest number is 17. Unlike the language of the Indians, the language of the ancient Indians is well known to scientists. It's called Sanskrit. This word means "perfect". Many of the modern languages ​​of India originated from Sanskrit. It contains words similar to Russian and Belarusian. For example: Vedas; shveta - holy (holiday), brahman-rahmany (meek). The gods and brahmins were considered to be the creators of Sanskrit and its keepers. Every person who considered himself an Aryan was obliged to know this language. "Aliens", both Shudras and untouchables, had no right to learn this language under pain of cruel punishment.

Literature

Nothing is known about the literature of the Indians. But the literature of the ancient Indians is a huge heritage for all mankind. The oldest works of Indian literature are the Vedas, written between 1500 and 1000 BC. BC e. The Vedas (literally - wisdom) are sacred books in which all the most important knowledge for the ancient Indians was recorded. Their veracity and usefulness have never been disputed. The whole spiritual life of the ancient Indians was created on the basis of the Vedas. Therefore, the Indian culture of the 1st millennium BC. e. called the Vedic culture. In addition to the Vedas, Indian culture has created a wide variety of works. All of them were written in Sanskrit. Many of them are included in the treasury of world literature. What was invented in ancient India. The first place in this series belongs to the great poems "Mahabharata" and "Ramayana". The Mahabharata tells of the struggle of the sons of King Pandu for the right to rule the kingdom. The Ramayana tells about the life and deeds of Prince Rama. The poems describe the life of the ancient Indians, their wars, beliefs, customs and adventures. In addition to the great poems, the Indians created wonderful fairy tales, fables, myths and legends. Many of these works, translated into modern languages, are not forgotten to this day.

Religion of ancient India

We know little about the religions of the ancient Indians. However, it is known that they believed in the mother goddess, the three-faced cattle breeder god, and some species of flora and fauna. Among the holy animals, the bull stood out. There was probably also a cult of water, as evidenced by the numerous pools in Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. The Indians also believed in the other world. We know much more about the religions of the ancient Indians. Vedic culture created two great religions of the East at once - Hinduism and Buddhism. Hinduism originates from the Vedas. It is the Vedas - the first and main sacred books of Hinduism. Ancient Hinduism is different from modern. But these are different stages of one religion. Hindus did not believe in one god, but revered many. Chief among them were the god of fire Agni, the formidable god of water Varuna, the god-helper and guardian of all Mitra, as well as the god of gods, the great destroyer - the six-armed Shiva. His image is similar to the ancient Indian god - the patron of cattle. The idea of ​​Shiva is proof of the influence of the culture of the local population on the beliefs of the newcomers of the Aryans. Along with the gods, the Vedas, the Sanskrit language and the Brahmins were revered as the guardians of culture and sacred knowledge. Brahmins were considered living gods. Approximately in the VI century. BC e. in India, a new religion appears, which was destined to become a world religion. It is named after its first supporter Buddha, which means "enlightened". Buddhism has no belief in gods, does not recognize anything that exists. The only saint is the Buddha himself. For a long time there were no temples, priests and monks in Buddhism. The equality of people was proclaimed. The future of each person depends on correct behavior in society. Buddhism spread very quickly in India. In the II century. BC e. Buddhism was adopted by Emperor Ashoka. But at the beginning of our era, Buddhism was forced out of India by Hinduism and began to spread in more eastern countries. It was at this time that the main sacred book of modern Hinduism appeared - the Bhagavad Gita - the Divine Song. A hunter and two doves (an excerpt from the "Mahabharata" in the retelling of Y. Kupala) There lived a hunter in India. Without pity he wove birds in the forest to sell them in the market. He separated bird families, forgetting the law of the gods.

INTERESTING ABOUT INDIA
Excavations at Mahenjo-Daro

In 1921-1922. made a great archaeological discovery. Three kilometers from the Indus River, archaeologists have excavated a city. Its length and width were 5 km. It was protected from the floods of the river by artificial embankments. The city itself was divided into 12 roughly equal quarters. They had flat, straight streets. The central quarter was raised to a height of 6-12 m. The elevation, made of clay and mud brick, was defended by square brick towers. This was the main part of the city.

The social structure of the Indian according to ancient laws

For the sake of the prosperity of the worlds, Brahma created from his mouth, hands, thighs and feet, respectively, a brahmana, a kshatriya, a vaishya and a sudra. For each of them, certain classes were established. Education, study of sacred books, sacrifice for oneself and sacrifice for others, giving and receiving alms Brahma established for the brahmins. Brahman is always first. The protection of subjects, the distribution of alms, sacrifice, the study of sacred books and non-adherence to human pleasures Brahma pointed out to the kshatriyas. But under no circumstances is a kshatriya entitled to take more than a fourth of the harvest of his subjects. Cattle breeding, almsgiving, sacrifice, study of sacred books, trade, money matters and agriculture Brahma gave to the Vaishyas. But only one occupation Brahma gave the Shudras - serving the first three with humility.

Conclusion

Summing up, we can say that we know a lot about India. Although there are still a lot of white spots in the history of this ancient state, which will nevertheless someday be revealed to us. And everyone will learn about the greatness of Ancient India. World literature will receive the priceless works of Indian authors. Archaeologists will excavate new cities. Historians will write interesting books. And we learn a lot. We will pass on our knowledge to the next generation without loss.

India is one of the oldest civilizations on the planet. The culture of this country influenced both neighboring countries and regions thousands of kilometers away from Hindustan. Indian civilization originated at the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC. e. In archeology, it is commonly called Proto-Indian or Harappan. Already at that time there was a written language, cities (Mohenjedaro, Harappa) with a well-thought-out layout, developed production, centralized water supply and sewerage. Indian civilization gave the world chess and the decimal number system. The achievements of ancient and medieval India in the field of science, literature and art, various religious and philosophical systems that originated in India, influenced the development of many civilizations of the East, and became an integral part of modern world culture. India is a huge country in southern Asia, stretching from the icy peaks of the Karakoram and the Himalayas to the equatorial waters of Cape Kumari, from the hot deserts of Rajasthan to the swampy jungles of Bengal. India is also magnificent beaches on the ocean coast in Goa and ski resorts in the Himalayas. The cultural diversity of India strikes the imagination of anyone who first arrived here. Traveling around the country, you understand that diversity is the soul of India. It is worth driving a few hundred kilometers, and you notice how the terrain, climate, food, clothing, and even music, fine arts, and crafts have changed. India can dazzle with beauty, captivate with hospitality, puzzle with contradictions. Therefore, everyone has to discover their own India. After all, India is not just another world, but many different worlds united into one. Only the country's constitution lists 15 main languages, and the total number of languages ​​and dialects, according to scientists, reaches 1652. India is the birthplace of many religions - Hinduism, comparable to the layer of Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Islam, Christianity), Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. And at the same time, India is the largest Muslim country - the third largest in the world in terms of the number of followers (after Indonesia and Bangladesh). India is a federal state (according to the constitution - a union of states). India has 25 states and 7 union territories. States: Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal. The seven union territories include the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagarhaveli, Daman and Diu, Delhi, Lakshadweep and Puttucci (Pondicherry). The head of state is the president. Practically, executive power is exercised by the prime minister. The capital of India is Delhi. The area of ​​the republic is 3.28 million sq. km. The country borders in the west with Pakistan, in the north with China, Nepal and Bhutan, in the east with Bangladesh and Myanmar. From the southwest it is washed by the waters of the Arabian Sea, from the southeast by the Bay of Bengal.

India is a country with unique traditions (Ancient India). The history of India is the history of a whole civilization. And the culture of India is a unique achievement of mankind The geography of India is vast. The country strikes with a variety of natural zones. India can be conditionally divided into four parts. Northern India is, first of all, the unique city of Delhi (the capital of the state). The most incredible architectural monuments are collected here, the leading place among which is occupied by numerous religious buildings. Moreover, in Delhi you can find temples of literally all world religions. By the number of museums, the city will easily bypass any capital of the world. Be sure to visit the National Museum, the Archaeological Museum of the Red Fort, the National Gallery of Modern Art, the National Museum of Natural History, etc. At your service there will be thousands of retail outlets, unique oriental bazaars with their indescribable flavor, familiar to us from children's fairy tales, which you should definitely plunge into . If you prefer a holiday by the sea, then Western India and Goa are for you. It is in this state that there are numerous beaches, magnificent hotels, a lot of entertainment complexes, casinos and restaurants. South India - is the most densely populated part of the country, the area where hundreds of ancient Tamil temples, colonial forts are located. There are also sandy beaches. East India is associated primarily with the city of Calcutta, the administrative center of the state of West Bengal and the largest city in the country, one of the ten largest cities in the world. To travel to this country, you need a visa, for which you will have to visit the Indian Embassy. And one more piece of advice. India is a country next to which is the mysterious Nepal, do not forget about the tour. You are already dreaming of India.

Happiness has no tomorrow; he does not have yesterday either; it does not remember the past, does not think about the future; he has a present - and that is not a day - but a moment.

It is difficult to overestimate the achievements in ancient India. The scientific achievements of ancient India are used by the whole world. The Indian scientist Aryabhata is known for inventing the decimal system, and also invented the number "0". We also use this system. Perhaps the numbers as we know them were also invented in India. Aryabhata, a famous mathematician and astronomer of ancient India, formulated and derived the rules for extracting square roots, cube roots; solution of various equations - linear, square, indefinite. He made a number of other discoveries in mathematics. He was also sure that the earth moves around its axis, and also correctly indicated the causes of lunar and solar eclipses. Priests and colleagues criticized his views. He lived around the 4th century. The astronomer Brasharacharya in the 5th century calculated the time for which the Earth makes a complete circle around the Sun, with an accuracy of 9 decimal places. Budhayana calculated the number "pi" in the VI century.

Counting system

Observatory

The Indians knew how to make dyes, glass, poisons and incense. They were well versed in ore, alloys and other minerals. "Navigation" (driving ships) is a modified Indian word for "guiding". The art of ship control was mastered by the Indians 6 thousand years ago. Trigonometry, the basis of navigation on the high seas, was also invented there. India is also rich in achievements in medicine. Ayurveda, the medical school, is the world's oldest, if not the oldest, founded over 2,500 years ago. The Indians correctly understood the purpose of each organ and successfully treated many diseases. An important feature of Indian treatment was that doctors, when making a diagnosis, not only assessed the patient's physical condition, but also his psychological mood. Surgeons owned more than 120 instruments and performed quite complex operations. In the city of Takshashila, a university was founded and built, which is considered the first in the world. In general, India is very rich in achievements in mathematics, including algebra, as well as in astronomy and medicine.

Ancient Texts on Medicine (Museum of Medicine in Dharamsala)

The achievements of the culture of ancient India are as great as the scientific achievements. For example, the prototype of chess came to us from Ancient India. Also, cards and dominoes are a legacy of ancient India. In India, many spices and culinary recipes were invented. The most famous invention of Ancient India is Yoga, a system of spiritual and physical practices for self-improvement. The philosophy of ancient India reached great heights. Many of the theories that the Indian philosophers of that time had were proved only relatively recently. In its discoveries, India was far ahead of the rest of the world.

One of the most important achievements of ancient India was the creation of a positional decimal number system using zero - the same one that we currently use. In Harappan times (the civilization of the Indus Valley, III-II millennium BC, or the civilization of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, after the name of one of the cities near which excavations began), the Indians, as scientists believe, already counted in dozens.

At first, the oldest Sanskrit texts testify, words were used to record numbers: unit - "moon", "earth"; deuce - "eyes", "lips" ... And only then did the notation of numbers appear. But the most important thing was that the numbers were written positionally, from the lowest to the highest digits, so that the same number, for example "3", depending on the place occupied, could mean 3, and 30, and 300, and 3000 .

The missing discharges were indicated by a small circle and were called "shunya" - "emptiness". To appreciate the convenience of this system, it is enough for the reader to write in Roman numerals, for example, the number 4888 - MMMMDCCCLXXXVIII. It becomes clear why the Syrian bishop and scholar Sever Sebokht believed that there were not enough laudatory words to evaluate the decimal system. The outside world, and above all the West, treated the Indian discovery unfairly: the numbers that we used to call Arabic, the Arabs themselves called Indian.

The most famous mathematician of ancient India was Aryabhata, who lived in the Gupta era (4th-6th centuries). He systematized the decimal positional number system, formulated the rules for extracting square and cube roots, solving linear, quadratic and indefinite equations, compound interest problems, and finally created a simple and complex triple rule. The value of the number "pi" Aryabhata considered equal to 3.1416.

Aryabhata was also an outstanding astronomer. He claimed that the Earth moves around its axis, correctly explained the causes of solar and lunar eclipses, which caused sharp criticism from the Hindu priests and many fellow scientists. From the Gupta era, several astronomical treatises have come down to us, revealing, in addition to original developments, the acquaintance of Indian scientists with Greek astronomy, including the works of Ptolemy. Ancient Indian astronomy and mathematics had a great influence on Arabic science: the merits of Indian scientists were recognized by the great al-Biruni.

Significant achievements of the Indians and in chemistry. They were versed in ores, metals and alloys, able to produce durable dyes - vegetable and mineral - glass and artificial gems, aromatic essences and poisons. In philosophical and scientific treatises, scientists developed the idea that all substances in nature are composed of "anu" - atoms. Medicine has reached a high level of development, especially the medical school known as "Ayurveda" - literally "the science of longevity" (it is still popular today). The treatises of the famous physicians Charaka (1st-2nd century) and Sushruta (4th century) describe the treatment with herbal and mineral medicines, diet and hygiene procedures for many diseases, including those that for many subsequent centuries in Europe were treated only by "casting out demons ".

Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology was at a fairly high level in ancient India: Indian doctors correctly explained the purpose of many organs. When making a diagnosis and prescribing a course of treatment, the doctor had to take into account not only the physical condition of the patient, which was determined by a combination of a wide variety of indicators (pulse, body temperature, condition of the skin, hair and nails, urine, and so on), but also the psychological mood of the patient.

Surgeons, using 120 types of instruments, performed the most difficult operations for their time: craniotomy, caesarean section, amputation of limbs.

The operation to restore deformed ears and nose entered the history of modern medicine as "Indian" - European doctors borrowed this technique from their Indian colleagues only in the 18th century. There were also ideas about medical ethics in India: for example, Charaka urged his students to "strive with all their hearts to heal the sick" and "not to betray them even at the cost of their own lives." The doctor's speech, he taught, should always be polite and pleasant, he should be restrained, reasonable and always strive to improve his knowledge. Going to the house of the sick, the doctor, pointed out Charaka, should "direct his thoughts, mind and feelings to nothing else but to his patient and his treatment." At the same time, strictly observe medical secrecy, do not tell anyone about the patient's condition, or about what he saw in his house. In many Indian cities there were hospitals (mainly for the poor and travelers), opened at the expense of the king or wealthy citizens.

In addition to medicine, its own "Ayurveda" existed for plants and animals.

The most famous discoveries of India relate to the main areas of people's lives - to entertainment, spiritual improvement and medicine.

In ancient times, Indian scientists reached a high level in mathematical knowledge. In the first millennium, ancient mathematics moved to a new level and took a higher level.

Scientists invented a decimal system for writing numbers with their own symbols, which were later modified and are now known as ordinary arithmetic numbers. They also laid the foundations of trigonometric calculations, decimal arithmetic and varieties of calculation methods.

Decimal number system was invented by the Indian scientist Aryabhata. He also invented the number "Zero".
In India, such sciences as algebra and trigonometry appeared.
Pi was first calculated by Budhayana. He also gave extended options for what is now known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He did this in the 6th century, long before the Arab and European mathematicians
Quadratic equations were created by Sridharacharya in the 11th century. The largest number used by the Greeks and Romans was 10 to the 6th power, while in India it was 10 to the 53rd power.
There were weights, measuring rulers made of shells with very accurately applied divisions. The basic unit of weight was 0.86 grams, the basic unit of length was 6.7 mm.

Indian astronomers as early as the 2nd century BC established the phases of the moon, made a prototype of the modern calendar, divided the day into hours. The Hindus wrote astronomical treatises, put forward the theory of the rotation of our planet around its axis, calculated the reflection of the sun's color by the Moon.

In the 5th century AD, hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart, T. E. Brasharacharya calculated the time for which the earth goes around the sun. This time was 365.258756484 days
India invented the largest unit of time, kalpa - the time from the birth of the universe to its complete destruction. This unit is very close in value to the period of life and, according to the pulsating theory of the universe, is equal to 25 billion years.

Art navigation was founded on the Sindh River 6000 years ago. The word navigation itself is derived from the Sanskrit word nav gatih. Trigonometry, the basis of navigation on the high seas, was also invented there.

India is rich in achievements and in medicine. Originated in India in ancient times the science of longevity (Ayurveda), on which Tibetan medicine is based today. Indian doctors studied the properties of herbs, the influence of climate on a person, considerable attention was paid to hygiene, diet, and various psychotechnics.

Ayurveda, the medical school, is the world's oldest, if not the oldest, founded over 2,500 years ago. The Indians correctly understood the purpose of each organ and successfully treated many diseases. An important feature of Indian treatment was that doctors, when making a diagnosis, not only assessed the patient's physical condition, but also his psychological mood. Surgeons owned more than 120 instruments and performed quite complex operations.

Many of the surgical instruments used in surgical operations are still in use today.

These are hooks, probes, scalpels, syringes, dilators. For the first time, the mention of operations on the human body using such tools was found in manuscripts dated one thousand years BC.

The ancient Indian medical manuscript "Sushruta Samhita" describes the technique of some operations, provides descriptions of instruments and surgical practices. Medicines based on herbs and other plants are used to cure diseases. Ayurvedic principles in the manufacture of drugs and cosmetics are also applied in modern products.

No less famous among people striving for excellence, enjoys yoga- a culture that allows you to achieve the perfection of the body and thoughts. Figurines of people sitting in well-known yoga poses have been found in the settlements of ancient peoples, and their age, according to experts, reaches 6,000 years. Yoga in our time is considered as two main areas - spiritual practice, and a system of physical and breathing exercises.

In medicine, methods have been invented water treatments and some complex surgeries. So, it is known that medieval Indian doctors could already remove cataracts, suture internal organs and perform craniotomy.

Appearance stirrup in indian cavalry became one of the important discoveries that were invented in India in the II century. This made it possible for the military to inflict saber strikes and accurate defeats from the bow. At that time, two strong belts with rings at the ends were attached to the saddle and the rider, climbing on the horse, inserted his big toe into one of them.

Invention by the Indians chess in the 5th-6th centuries it became part of human culture all over the world. Initially, the game looked different and was called "chaturanga", which translates as "four branches of the army", which included the playing field of 64 cells and 32 figures that is familiar today. But unlike the usual game, the number of players was 4, and the moves of the figures were set by the dice. The modern name in Farsi sounds like "shah mat", which translates as "the shah died." Historians believe that more than one and a half thousand years have passed since the first games.

First appeared in India dominoes, cards,

The first reservoirs and dams for irrigation were built in Saurashtra, Western India. Under the leadership of King Rudradaman I, an artificial river called Sudarshana (beautiful) was created in 150 AD.
The world's first university was founded in Takshashila in 700 BC. Over 10,500 students from all over the world have studied over 60 subjects. Nalanda University was built in the 4th century AD
The Indians knew how to make dyes, glass, poisons and incense. They were well versed in ore, alloys and other minerals.

In addition to agriculture, handicrafts and trade were widely developed. This is indicated by a large number of weights found during excavations. India was probably the first country to master cotton weaving. Cotton fabrics have been an export item for India for several millennia.

They created the most wonderful language in the world - Sanskrit - which gave rise to most of the idioms of the East and Indo-European countries.
They invented hand-to-hand combat, as well as tea wine, sweets, tea biscuit.

Science Mathematics. To engage in grandiose construction, precise knowledge is needed. Ancient India, whose achievements in this area are very great, developed a decimal account, the numbers that are called Arabic by misunderstanding and which we use were invented in India. It also developed the concept of zero. Scientists from India have proved that if any number is divided by zero, then the result will be infinity. For six centuries BC, they knew the number pi. Indian scientists were engaged in the development of algebra, solved linear equations, were able to extract square and cube roots from numbers, and calculate the sine of an angle. In this area, ancient India has gone far ahead of all. Achievements and inventions in the field of mathematics are the pride of this civilization. Astronomy. Despite the fact that they did not have telescopes, astronomy occupied an honorable place in ancient India. By observing the moon, astronomers were able to determine its phases. Earlier than the Greeks, Indian scientists came to the conclusion that the Earth rotates around its axis. Indian astronomers divided the day into hours. Medicine. Ayurveda, which contains the basic medical postulates, was originally used for the ritual purification of priests who dealt with the untouchables. All sorts of cleansing of the body came from there, which are widely used in our time, since the environment is very polluted.

It is generally accepted that the contribution of ancient India was limited to the sphere of the humanities, especially religion and philosophy. Indeed, no other civilization, perhaps, has surpassed India in these areas. The scientific knowledge presented by the sages of antiquity covers a wide range of sciences such as physics, chemistry, mathematics, astronomy, metallurgy, biotechnology, geology, botany, meteorology, gemology, medicine, etc.

Indian thinkers own the palm of discoveries in many fields of knowledge. The invention of zero, the measurement of the number π, the formulation of the Pythagorean theorem, the theory of the rotation of the Earth around the Sun, the law of gravity, knowledge of medicine and surgery clearly testify to the richness of the scientific heritage of India.

It was in ancient India that the game of chess originated, which was based on the mathematical basis of what the Indians knew in antiquity. Astronomy dominated.

The great astronomer Arya Bhata (sometimes spelled Aryabhata) proved that the Earth rotates on its axis long before this discovery shook medieval Europe. The ancient Indians knew that the Earth revolves around the Sun, and not vice versa, as the so-called scientists of Europe of the Middle Ages claimed.

The unique medical system of Ayurveda (the science of life) is associated with the Vedic period of Indian history, the methods and treatment of which are still recognized and effective. Ethics and philosophy arose in ancient India.

All this intellectual advantage in the field of science and culture has been formed over many years, following in line with the uninterrupted cultural continuity over the centuries.

Life on the Hindustan Peninsula originated so long ago that it is difficult to choose a starting point, from what time it is necessary to describe the cultural achievements of Ancient India. Five or even six thousand years is a joke, in a short article to give a complete analysis. Therefore, we confine ourselves to brief information.

Culture Features

There are a great many peoples, tribes and, accordingly, languages ​​in India. Unlike European culture, they developed completely separately and independently, and what a European person considers basic is not such for a resident of India. We think empirically, but in India we think abstractly. We think in ethical categories, in India - in ritual ones. Ritual is much more important than morality. European thinking is legal (law, human rights), in India it is a myth in which all rights are drowned. We think in collective terms, but in India only personal salvation and rebirth matter. The categories "people", "nation", "tribe", "co-religionists" are not very clear for Indians. But still they were united by religion, in which there is no systematicity. Below we will talk about Hinduism, which is still alive and which was created by Ancient India. The achievements of his spiritual practices are also appreciated by representatives of other civilizations.

The origin of life

The first inhabitants lived in the cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro in the Indus Valley. But little is known about them. It was the black population (Dravids). The light-skinned nomadic tribes of the Aryans who came from Iran, which meant “noble” in the language, drove the natives into the forests and to the very south of the Indian subcontinent.

They brought with them language and religion. Many centuries later, when the Aryans themselves reached the south, they began to coexist peacefully with the dark-skinned Dravidian population, and their religions united, merged and melted down.

caste system

The arias brought it with them. The Indians themselves use the word "varna", and it is translated as "color" to designate their social categories. The lighter and whiter the skin, the higher people stood on the social ladder. There are four varnas. The highest is the Brahmins, who have both power and knowledge. Priests and rulers are born here.

Then follow the kshatriyas, that is, warriors. Then the vaishyas. These are merchants, artisans, peasants. The lowest are sudras (servants and slaves). All estates originated from the mythical man - Purusha. Brahmins came from his head, kshatriyas from his arms and shoulders, vaishyas from his hips and loins, for whom fertility was important, from feet - shudras, which are in the mud. The untouchables were created from the dirt, whose situation is the most terrible. The entire population was illiterate, which has survived to this day. And the kshatriyas and brahmins possessed knowledge. It was the latter that created Ancient India owes its development to them. Achievements in various fields of culture were significant. But it is impossible to climb the social ladder with the existence of castes. A person from birth to death is associated only with the caste in which he was born.

Language and writing

We will not dwell on undeciphered languages, but we will turn to which appeared almost five and a half thousand years ago and which became the language of scientists, priests and philosophers. It has an extensive literature. Initially, these were obscure religious hymns, chants, spells (Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda), and later works of art (Ramayana and Mahabharata).

For the Brahmins, Sanskrit was the same language as Latin is for us. It is the language of learning. For us, it is of interest because all the languages ​​spoken in Europe supposedly grew out of it. Its roots can be traced in Greek, and in Latin, and in Slavic languages. The very word "Veda" is translated as knowledge. Compare with the root of the Russian verb "to know", that is, to know. This is how ancient India enters the modern world. Achievements in the development of the language belong to the Brahmins, and the methods of its dissemination have not been studied enough.

Architecture, sculpture and painting

The Brahmins who originated from the eyes of the mythical Purusha practiced the visual arts.

They designed temples, created picturesque and sculptural images of the gods. This attracts the attention of not only pious Indians, but also all those who come to India and get acquainted with the incomparable beauty of palaces and temples.

Science

• Mathematics.

To engage in grandiose construction, precise knowledge is needed. whose achievements in this area are very great, she developed a decimal account, the numbers that, by misunderstanding, are called Arabic and which we use, were invented in India. It also developed the concept of zero. Scientists from India have proved that if any number is divided by zero, then the result will be infinity. For six centuries BC, they knew the number pi. Indian scientists were engaged in the development of algebra, they were able to solve square and cube roots from numbers, calculate the sine of an angle. In this area, ancient India has gone far ahead of all. Achievements and inventions in the field of mathematics are the pride of this civilization.

• Astronomy.

Despite the fact that they did not have telescopes, astronomy occupied an honorable place in ancient India.

By observing the moon, astronomers were able to determine its phases. Earlier than the Greeks, Indian scientists came to the conclusion that the Earth rotates around its axis. Indian astronomers divided the day into hours.

• Medicine.

Ayurveda, which contains the basic medical postulates, was originally used for the ritual purification of priests who dealt with the untouchables. All sorts of cleansing of the body came from there, which are widely used in our time, since the environment is very polluted.

Hinduism

This religion has, scary to say, almost six thousand years, and it is alive and well. It is very closely connected with the caste system, which was mentioned above. None of the theologians gave a definition to Hinduism, since it includes everything that it meets on its way. It contains elements of Islam and Christianity. Heresies, because religion is "omnivorous", there never was, just as there were no religious wars in India. These are the unconditional achievements of Ancient India. The main thing in Hinduism is the ideas of non-violence and asceticism. The gods in India are both humanoid and include animal elements.

The god Hanuman has the body of a monkey, and the god Ganesha has the head of an elephant. The supreme revered deity who created the world, and then broke it into small pieces, like a crystal vessel - Brahma. His study and development of his teachings are engaged in brahmins. Ordinary people are closer to more understandable Shiva - a warrior (he had a third eye, designed to destroy enemies; then a curious transformation took place, and the eye became needed to study the inner world) and the god of fertility, and Vishnu - a dark-skinned protector of the family and a fighter against evil.

Buddhism

This, it must be said right away, is not a religion, since the concept of a deity is absent in it and there is no prayer as a cry for salvation. This complex philosophical doctrine was created a little earlier than Christianity by Prince Gautama.

The main thing a Buddhist wants to achieve is to get out of the wheel of samsara, out of the wheel of rebirth. Only then can one reach nirvana, that which is inconceivable. And happiness and harmony are false ideas, they simply do not exist. But Buddhism in India did not become widespread, since there is no prophet in his own country, but flourished, having changed, outside this country. Today it is believed that a person may not know anything about the Buddha, but if he lives instinctively correctly and observes all the laws of Buddhism, then he has the opportunity to become enlightened and find the path to nirvana.

Achievements of Ancient India briefly

Mathematics - modern numbers and algebra.

Medicine - cleansing measures, determining the state of a person by pulse, by body temperature. Invented medical instruments - probes, scalpels.

Yoga is a spiritual and physical practice that improves a person.

A cuisine rich in spices, among which curry is worth highlighting. The main component of this seasoning is turmeric root, which improves immunity and prevents Alzheimer's disease.

Chess is a game that trains the mind and develops strategic skills. They synchronize the hemispheres of the brain, contribute to its harmonious development.

All this was given by ancient India. Achievements of culture of ancient times are not outdated until today.

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Invention #1 Paper The first great invention of ancient China is paper. According to the Chinese chronicles of the Eastern Han Dynasty, paper was invented by the court eunuch of the Han Dynasty - Cai Long in 105 AD. In ancient times in China, before the advent of writing paper, bamboo strips rolled into scrolls, silk scrolls, wooden and clay tablets, etc. were used. The most ancient Chinese texts or “jiaguwen” were found on tortoise shells, which date back to the 2nd millennium BC. e. (Shan Dynasty). In the 3rd century, paper was already widely used for writing instead of more expensive traditional materials. The paper production technology developed by Cai Lun consisted of the following: a boiling mixture of hemp, mulberry bark, old fishing nets and fabrics turned into pulp, after which it was ground to a paste-like homogeneous state and mixed with water. A sieve in a wooden reed frame was immersed in the mixture, the mass was scooped out with a sieve and shaken to make the liquid glass. In this case, a thin and even layer of fibrous mass was formed in the sieve. This mass was then overturned onto smooth boards. Boards with castings were laid one on top of the other. They tied the pile and laid the load on top. Then the sheets hardened and strengthened under pressure were removed from the boards and dried. A paper sheet made using this technology turned out to be light, even, durable, less yellow and more convenient for writing.

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#2 typography The advent of paper, in turn, led to the advent of typography. The oldest known example of woodblock printing is a Sanskrit sutra printed on hemp paper between approximately 650 and 670 CE. However, the Diamond Sutra, made during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), is believed to be the first standard size printed book. It consists of scrolls 5.18 m long. According to Joseph Needham, a researcher of traditional Chinese culture, the printing methods used in the calligraphy of the Diamond Sutra are far superior in perfection and sophistication to the miniature sutra printed earlier.

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#3 Gunpowder Gunpowder is believed to have been developed in China in the 10th century. At first, it was used as a filling in incendiary shells, and later explosive powder shells were invented. Gunpowder barrel weapons, according to Chinese chronicles, were first used in battles in 1132. It was a long bamboo tube where gunpowder was placed and then set on fire. This "flamethrower" inflicted severe burns on the enemy. A century later, in 1259, a bullet-shooting gun was invented for the first time - a thick bamboo tube into which a charge of gunpowder and a bullet was placed. Later, at the turn of the 13th-14th centuries, metal cannons loaded with stone cannonballs spread in the Celestial Empire.

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#4 compass The first prototype of the compass is believed to have appeared during the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD) when the Chinese began to use magnetic ironstone oriented north-south. True, it was not used for navigation, but for divination. In the ancient text "Lunheng", written in the 1st century AD, in chapter 52, the ancient compass is described as follows: "This instrument resembles a spoon, and if it is placed on a plate, its handle will point to the south." The description of a magnetic compass for determining the cardinal directions was first described in the Chinese manuscript "Wujing Zongyao" in 1044. The compass worked on the principle of residual magnetization from heated steel or iron ingots, which were cast in the shape of a fish. The latter were placed in a bowl of water, and as a result of induction and residual magnetization, weak magnetic forces appeared. The manuscript mentions that this device was used as a course indicator paired with a mechanical "chariot that points south."

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For your information: In addition to the four great inventions of ancient China, craftsmen of the Celestial Empire gave our civilization the following usefulness: Chinese horoscope, drum, bell, crossbow, erhu violin, gong, wushu martial arts, qigong health gymnastics, fork, noodles, double boiler, chopsticks for food, tea, soy cheese tofu, silk, paper money, varnish, bristle toothbrush, toilet paper, kite, gas bottle, Go board game, playing cards, china and more.

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Inventions of India It is difficult to overestimate the achievements in ancient India. The scientific achievements of ancient India are used by the whole world. The Indian scientist Aryabhata is known for inventing the decimal system, and also invented the number "0". We also use this system. Perhaps the numbers as we know them were also invented in India. Aryabhata, a famous mathematician and astronomer of ancient India, formulated and derived the rules for extracting square roots, cube roots; solution of various equations - linear, square, indefinite. He made a number of other discoveries in mathematics. He was also sure that the earth moves around its axis, and also correctly indicated the causes of lunar and solar eclipses. Priests and colleagues criticized his views. He lived around the 4th century. The astronomer Brasharacharya in the 5th century calculated the time for which the Earth makes a complete circle around the Sun, with an accuracy of 9 decimal places. Budhayana calculated the number "pi" in the VI century.

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The Indians knew how to make dyes, glass, poisons and incense. They were well versed in ore, alloys and other minerals. "Navigation" (driving ships) is a modified Indian word for "guiding". The art of ship control was mastered by the Indians 6 thousand years ago. Trigonometry, the basis of navigation on the high seas, was also invented there. India is also rich in achievements in medicine. Ayurveda, the medical school, is the world's oldest, if not the oldest, having been founded over 2500 years ago. The Indians correctly understood the purpose of each organ and successfully treated many diseases. An important feature of Indian treatment was that doctors, when making a diagnosis, not only assessed the patient's physical condition, but also his psychological mood. Surgeons owned more than 120 instruments and performed quite complex operations. In the city of Takshashila, a university was founded and built, which is considered the first in the world. In general, India is very rich in achievements in mathematics, including algebra, as well as in astronomy and medicine.

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The achievements of the culture of ancient India are as great as the scientific achievements. For example, the prototype of chess came to us from Ancient India. Also, cards and dominoes are a legacy of ancient India. In India, many spices and culinary recipes were invented. The most famous invention of Ancient India is Yoga, a system of spiritual and physical practices for self-improvement. The philosophy of ancient India reached great heights. Many of the theories that the Indian philosophers of that time had were proved only relatively recently. In its discoveries, India was far ahead of the rest of the world.

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