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Mechanics of Pre-industrial Technology

An Introduction to the Mechanics of Ancient and Traditional Material Culture

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Paperback | 29 June 1992

At a Glance

Paperback
344 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
23.5 x 19.05 x 1.83

Paperback

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This is the first general account of the mechanics behind pre-industrial technology. By combining the skills of an engineer and an archaeologist, it shows how mechanics can be used to create a better understanding of the function of artifacts and the achievements of early technology. The authors examine technology from the earliest stone tools of more than two million years ago to the erection of the statues of Easter Island which continued into the seventeenth century. Representative material cultures from most areas of the world have been selected for this study and the book shows how sophisticated many of their apparently simple techniques and artefacts actually were. After an introduction to basic mechanics the book examines the elements of machines: the various structures which can be made to bridge openings; the mechanics involved in fashioning stone tools; projectiles such as the spear and boomerang; the efficiency of transport by land and water; and the mechanics of musical instruments.

Industry Reviews

'Mechanics of pre-industrial technology is a marvellous book. It is to the brim full of information, never dull and well researched throughout. The illustrations are extremely well chosen, very copious and most informative.' ANU Reporter 'It should be required reading for all archaeologists, to stop them perpetuating the scientific howlers that disfigure so many 'interpretations'.' British Archaeological News

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You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Archaeology Engineering & Technology Technology in General History of Engineering & Technology Science Science in General History of Science Biographies & True Stories Biographies Historical, Political and Military Biographies

List of figures	p. x
List of tables	p. xii
Preface	p. xiii
Introduction	p. 1
Invention and diffusion	p. 1
Theories of cultural evolution	p. 5
Artifact sophistication and complexity	p. 8
The development of mechanical science	p. 11
Mechanics of material culture	p. 13
Methods of mechanical analysis	p. 14
Mechanical experimentation	p. 15
Definitions and units	p. 16
Basic mechanics	p. 18
Space and time	p. 18
Mass	p. 20
Force	p. 22
The laws of motion	p. 22
The main sources of force in pre-industrial technology	p. 23
Muscular force	p. 23
Gravitational force	p. 24
Frictional force	p. 27
Scalars and vectors	p. 29
Acceleration	p. 31
Work and energy	p. 33
Power	p. 35
Equilibrium and stability	p. 44
Fluids and solids	p. 47
Fluids	p. 47
Concept of pressure	p. 47
The motion of ideal fluids	p. 50
The siphon	p. 54
The water-wheel	p. 56
Viscous flow	p. 57
Water-clocks	p. 59
Solids	p. 64
Stress and strength	p. 65
Deformation and strain	p. 69
Stress-strain relationships	p. 70
Resilience and strain energy	p. 72
Machines	p. 74
The lever	p. 75
The moment of a force	p. 77
Lever systems of animals	p. 80
Lifting with a lever	p. 80
The beam press	p. 83
The balance	p. 84
The inclined plane	p. 86
The pulley	p. 89
The winch and capstan	p. 93
The screw	p. 94
The gear wheel	p. 96
The wedge	p. 97
Structures	p. 101
Suspension bridges	p. 102
Column and lintel construction	p. 104
Beams	p. 106
Trusses	p. 115
Arches and domes	p. 119
Arches	p. 119
Domes	p. 123
Stone tools	p. 125
The stone materials	p. 127
Flaked stone tools	p. 130
Fracture mechanics	p. 135
The initiation phase of flake formation	p. 140
The propagation phase of flake formation	p. 142
The termination phase of flake formation	p. 145
Flake surface markings	p. 147
Ground stone tools	p. 151
The mechanics of abrasion	p. 153
Use-wear on stone tools	p. 155
Projectiles	p. 160
The motion of projectiles	p. 161
The spear	p. 163
The spearthrower	p. 166
The stability of a spear	p. 170
The boomerang	p. 175
The bow and arrow	p. 180
The composite bow	p. 185
The archer's paradox	p. 187
Torsion catapults	p. 188
Land transport	p. 193
The mechanics of walking	p. 193
Pack transport	p. 196
Wheeled vehicles	p. 197
Friction of rollers and wheels	p. 198
The dished wheel	p. 204
Animal ability and harness	p. 206
The wheelbarrow	p. 214
Moving the colossi	p. 216
Lubrication	p. 220
Rollers	p. 223
Ropes	p. 225
Easter Island statues	p. 226
Classical Greece and Rome	p. 232
Water transport	p. 234
Buoyancy	p. 237
Lateral stability	p. 238
Propulsion	p. 245
Oars	p. 245
Sails	p. 250
Water resistance	p. 255
The performance of the Trireme	p. 257
Steering and directional stability	p. 259
Musical instruments	p. 265
The nature of sound	p. 266
The pitch and quality of a musical note	p. 267
Harmony and musical scales	p. 270
Musical instruments	p. 276
Chordophones, or stringed instruments	p. 276
Aerophones, or wind instruments	p. 280
Idiophones, or percussion instruments other than drums	p. 287
Membranophones, or drums	p. 291
Archaeomusicology	p. 292
Epilogue	p. 293
Glossary of mechanical terms	p. 296
Symbols	p. 305
Useful mathematical formulas	p. 308
References	p. 309
Index	p. 319
Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved.

Mechanics of Pre-industrial Technology

An Introduction to the Mechanics of Ancient and Traditional Material Culture

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

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