2023-08-18 09:18:52
Throughout history, many civilizations have produced literary works that contain valuable scientific knowledge. However, the passage of time and the vicissitudes of history have caused the irremediable loss of numerous ancient scientific books. Let’s see some examples of this.
-Library of Alexandria: The most famous icon of the lost books is the Library of Alexandria in ancient Egypt. This legendary library housed a vast collection of scientific, philosophical and literary texts of the time. Sadly, its destruction during conflicts and looting over the centuries resulted in the loss of countless masterpieces of ancient knowledge.
-Treaties of Hippocrates: Hippocrates, considered the father of Western medicine, wrote numerous treatises on diseases, diagnoses and treatments. Despite the great influence of his works on medicine, many of his original writings have been lost. Only fragments and later compilations have come down to us.
-Archimedes and his discoveries: The famous Greek mathematician Archimedes made important discoveries in fields such as geometry, hydrostatics and mechanics. Although he is known to have written numerous books, most have been lost over the centuries. A prominent example is his work “The Method”, which dealt with his mathematical methods and demonstrations, and was only discovered on a palimpsest in the 20th century.
-Mayan and Aztec books: The Mayan and Aztec civilizations of Central America developed a rich scientific knowledge. However, much of their books, known as codices, were destroyed during the Spanish conquest and attempts to eradicate indigenous beliefs. Only a few Mayan and Aztec codices have survived, and while they contain valuable information, it is estimated that they only represent a fraction of the original knowledge that was lost.
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