There were many inventions that came from Ancient Greece. Out of all of the inventors of that era, Daedalus may be the most famous and most creative of them all. Many stories have been told about this man, who reportedly was born in Athens and then lived on Crete. He was a sculptor and architect who created items so lifelike that it was said that Hercules once smashed a statue of himself because he thought he was being attacked.
Some of the inventions of Daedalus are of myth and lore. Others may be real or have at least some fact in them. Here is a look at what this legend is known for creating.
1. The Labyrinth
As the story goes, Queen Pasiphae was to be required to mate with a bull as punishment for deeds done. Daedalus created a hollow cow so that the bull could be fooled into mating with a female cow while the queen was reasonably protected inside. This brought about the legend of the Minotaur, which had to be captured to be contained. To do so, Daedalus invented the labyrinth for King Minos. Minos had Daedalus captured and placed in the labyrinth, but he was said to have escaped using artificial wings.
2. Animated Toys
Daedalus didn’t just create animals that would be able to create an unnatural union. He also created wooden animals, dolls, and other toys that were for the children of royalty. Daedalus was known to have given these toys to the daughters of the King of Camicus, but it is entirely possible that he either sold these toys as a business or gave them to other royal families as well.
3. The Bath House
While living in Camicus, the king had a special request: he wanted a place where he could become clean. To accommodate this request, Daedalus created what would become the world’s first bath house. Although it wouldn’t be public, the design was essentially the same as you’d find in a modern Turkish bath right now.
4. The Wings of Icarus
Daedalus creates the artificial wings so that they can fly away. It takes about a decade, according to legend, for this event to take place. As Daedalus is attaching these wings to Icarus, he begins instructing him on how to fly. Avoid the sun so the glue won’t melt and don’t fly near the sea so the wings become damp and heavy. Icarus flies too close to the sun, the glue melts, and the wings fall apart.
5. Sails
Can you imagine being on a large ship and having to row that ship across the sea? That’s how most naval transportation was conceived before Daedalus came along. Realizing the potential of the wind, he was the first to create sails that could be used for propelling ships across the water. This sped up trade throughout the region and eventually led to many other discoveries over the next 1,500 years, including new lands.
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