I'm currently reading Clive Pointing's 'World History - A new perspective'. >800 pages of well researched history with a large Eurasian focus (due to the availability of sources, not bias).
He repeatedly makes the point that some technology that Europe 'discovered' in the 13-19hundreds was in fact known in china 1000+ years earlier. Most of recorded history Europe basically played no role whatsoever.
A few examples that struck me, taken from his snapshot pages 'The world in xxxx' which are scattered throughout the book:
5000BCE
* first smelting of copper in Anatolia and Elam
2000BCE
* glass produced in south west asia
* development of the chariot in southwest Asia and china
600BCE
* first production of cast iron in china
* iron working in west Africa
150CE
* First use of paper in china
* compass in use in china
600CE
* 1200 mile long canal built in china
* iron cables for suspension bridges in china
* horse collar used in china
* paper used in china and korea
750CE
* first wood block printing in China
1000CE
* vikings reach north America
* first gunpowder weapons in china
* paper money in china
* horse collar used in europe
1200CE
* multi-,colour printing in china
* European ships adopt Chinese stern-rudder and compass
...
He repeatedly makes the point that some technology that Europe 'discovered' in the 13-19hundreds was in fact known in china 1000+ years earlier. Most of recorded history Europe basically played no role whatsoever.
A few examples that struck me, taken from his snapshot pages 'The world in xxxx' which are scattered throughout the book:
5000BCE * first smelting of copper in Anatolia and Elam
2000BCE * glass produced in south west asia * development of the chariot in southwest Asia and china
600BCE * first production of cast iron in china * iron working in west Africa
150CE * First use of paper in china * compass in use in china
600CE * 1200 mile long canal built in china * iron cables for suspension bridges in china * horse collar used in china * paper used in china and korea
750CE * first wood block printing in China
1000CE * vikings reach north America * first gunpowder weapons in china * paper money in china * horse collar used in europe
1200CE * multi-,colour printing in china * European ships adopt Chinese stern-rudder and compass
...