Technology in the Ancient Egypt: Nabil Ali Mohamed (Egyptian Google Honors)

Nabil Ali Mohamed Google Honors

Ancient Egyptian technology describes devices and advanced technology in old Egypt technologies invented or used in Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians invented and used many simple machines, such as the ramp and the lever, to aid construction processes. 

They used rope trusses to stiffen the beam of ships. Egyptian paper, made from papyrus & pottery were mass-produced and exported throughout the Mediterranean basin.

Ancient Monuments in Egypt

Ancient monuments and grand temples aside, the ancient Egyptians invented several items which one simply takes for granted in the modern-day. Paper and ink, cosmetics, the toothbrush and toothpaste, even the ancestor of the modern breath mint, were all invented by the Egyptians. 

Additionally, they made advances in almost every sphere of knowledge, from manufacturing simple household goods to beer brewing, engineering and construction, agriculture and architecture, medicine, astronomy, art, and literature. 

Although they did not have command of the wheel until the arrival of the Hyksos during the Second Intermediate Period of Egypt (c. 1782 - c. 1570 BCE), their technical skills are evident as early as the Predynastic Period (c. 6000-c. 3150 BCE) in the construction of mastaba tombs, artworks, and tools. 

As the civilisation advanced, so did their knowledge and skill until, by the time of the Ptolemaic Dynasty (323-30 BCE), the last to rule Egypt before it was annexed by Rome, they had created one of the most unique cultures of the ancient world.

Ancient Egyptian Science Technology

The superb temples and monuments of ancient Egypt continue to fascinate and amaze people in the modern day. The sheer size and scope of structures like the Great Pyramid at Giza or the Temple of Amun at Karnak, or the Colossi of Memnon are awe-inspiring. Naturally, they encourage questions regarding how they were built. 

All across the Egyptian landscape rise immense structures, thousands of years old, which have given rise to many different theories as to their construction. While several very significant questions remain unanswered, the simplest explanation for many can be found in ancient Egyptian inscriptions, texts, wall paintings, tomb inscriptions, art, and artefacts: the ancient Egyptians had an excellent command of science and technology.

Household Goods

The simple handheld mirror one finds so commonplace in the present day was created by the Egyptians. Those are often finished with inscriptions, such as protector-god Bes, and were owned by people.

Besides, ornate wall mirrors were also a part of middle- and upper-class homes and were likewise decorated. The ancient Egyptians were very aware of their self-image, and personal hygiene and appearance were significant.

Engineering Construction

The great temples of ancient Egypt arose from the same technical skill one sees on the small scale of household goods. The central value observed in creating any of these goods or structures was careful attention to detail. The Egyptians are noted in many aspects of their culture as a very conservative society. 

This adherence to a particular way of accomplishing tasks can clearly be seen in their construction of the pyramids and other monuments. The invention of an obelisk, for example, seems to have always involved the exact same fashion performed in precisely the same way. The quarrying and conveyor of obelisks are well documented (though how the immense monuments were raised is not) and shows stringent adherence to a standard procedure.

Google Honors Pioneering Egyptian Computational Linguist Nabil Ali Mohamed

Dr Nabil Ali was born in Cairo on this day in 1938. Expressing an interest in art at a young age, Mohamed was invigorated to apply his creative intensity for visual aesthetics to the world of engineering. 

After obtaining his PhD in Aeronautical Engineering at Cairo University, he spent over 20 years working as an engineer with the Egyptian Air Force and various computer and electronics companies throughout the world.

Tech giant Google has created a Doodle in honour of pioneering Egyptian computational linguist Dr Nabil Ali Mohamed on his 82nd birthday. According to a statement by Google, Dr Mohamed is credited for digitising the Arabic language, enabling “computers to understand Arabic in digital form.”

The Google Doodle was created by Kevin Laughlin. The designer drew stimulus from title screens from the 8-bit era of video games.

"Footage of Professor Mohamed's computer seems to invoke a lot of nostalgia in people who remember his software, so I sought out images that produced a comparable nostalgia in myself," explains Laughlin.

In addition to bringing the tech revolution to Arabic speakers and accommodating to connect them to the rest of the world, and incorporating the language’s complex syntax into computational linguistics, Dr Mohamed has brought his visual aesthetics into his work in engineering.

Mathematics  Astronomy

Astronomy was significant to the classical Egyptians on two levels: the spiritual and the practical. Egypt was thought to be a perfect reflection of the land of the gods and the afterlife, a mirror image of one's life on earth. 

This duality is apparent in Egyptian culture in every perspective and epitomised in the obelisk, eternally raised in pairs and believed to reflect a divine couple appearing simultaneously in the heavens. 

The stars told the stories of the gods' realisations and trials and indicated the passage of time and the seasons.