Some ancient inventions that are still very much in use today include the wheel (ca 3500 BC), wheelbarrow (1st century BC), buttons (ca 700 BC), ink (ca. 3000 BC) and soap (ca. 700 BC).
Let's look some more truly fantastic ancient inventions, all of which were included in the list of the greatest inventions of all time, compiled by Encyclopedia Britannica.
Ice Skates
Chiefly used nowadays for recreational activities and sport competitions, this footwear was chiefly used for warfare during winter as early as 3000 BC, as some archaeological evidences from Scandinavia suggest. It was made of animal shinbones that were grounded flat for sliding across frozen surfaces and was tied to the feet with leather straps.
Encyclopedia
Greek for "all-round education," this is a form of reference work, primarily employed as an aid for research, usually consisting of several volumes which give comprehensive information dealing with the entire range of human knowledge or a specialized field. Early examples include the collection of Plato's teachings by Speusippus (4th century BC) and "Natural History" by Pliny the Elder (1st century AD).
Lock and Key
Chiefly employed to keep doors, gates, containers and vehicles secure to protect one's belongings from theft, the earliest form of this device, which was invented by the Assyrians around four thousand years ago, was made of cylindrical wood with a hole bored through it, and has a corresponding wooden pin inserted through the hole to fasten it.
Alphabet
An ordered set of symbols invented by the Canaanite-Phoenician civilization (ca. 1400 BC to 1050 BC) to represent speech sounds, from which most modern day scripts were derived, including Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Cyrillic, Arabic, Coptic, Brahmi, Thai and many more. These symbols collectively called alphabet are rudiments that must be learned for one to achieve literacy.
Compass
Still very much widely used for navigational purposes, this instrument came into existence more than two thousand years ago, probably during Qin Dynasty of ancient China, after the discovery of the magnetic properties of lodestones that always align with the magnetic North-South of the Earth.
Dentures
An item worn to enable those who lack the real ones the ability to chew food more easily and also to project a more beautiful smile. It was already worn purely for aesthetic purposes as early as seventh century BC by the Etruscans; and was carved out either of stone, wood, ivory, dead man's bone or animal teeth, secured with the use of gold wire.
Chocolate
Popular food item commonly mixed in sweets such as candy bars, cookies and ice cream. Archaeological finds indicate that this calorie-rich food was being consumed by Mesoamerican cultures of the Mayans and Aztecs as early as 2,500 years ago. Dark ones, high in cocoa content, are rich sources of flavonoids, which are believed to be good for cardiovascular health.
Vending Machine
An appliance that releases merchandise when sufficient amount of money in coins or bills is deposited into the provided slot. In the first century, Hero of Alexandria invented an early version of this machine that accepted coins that weighed down a lever to open a valve, which, in turn, released a predetermined volume of water for religious purification purposes. Modern ones sell a wide range of products consisting mostly of foods, beverages, cigarettes and toiletries.
Boomerang
An amazing toy used mainly today in throwing contests, such as fast catch, trick catch and long distance. It is usually made of wood or plastic with two or more arms formed at angles and fly in a curved paths returning to the point of origin when thrown correctly. This aerodynamic weapon is believed to have been in use for hunting and hand-to-hand combat by the Aboriginal people of Australia for more than 15,000 years.
Beer
A form of beverage, usually available in six-pack, which men often consume with their buddies while watching sport programs. Since carbohydrates from starch-rich plants like malted barley, wheat and rice naturally breakdown in a process called fermentation, this popular beverage might be the world's oldest alcoholic drink, possibly dating earlier than 6000 BC based on recorded history of the Sumerians.
