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The Book of Lost Knowledge is an eye-popping showcase of the unbelievable inventions of our ancestors that will make you rethink the past and future.
List of contents
4 Introduction
6 Songlines
8 Mammoth Tusk Map
10 Lascaux Cave
12 Trepanning
14 Obsidian Toolmaking
16 Lyre
18 Inventor: Tapputi-Belatekalim
20 Mummification
22 Wheelchairs
24 Mechane
26 Yakhchal Ice House
28 Hygiene
30 Automated Pigeon
32 Inventor: Democritus
34 Camera Obscurer
36 Plato's Alarm Clock
38 Rosetta Stone
40 Puzzles and Games
42 Antikythera Mechanism
44 Inventor: Archimedes
46 Circus Maximus
48 Roman Concrete
50 Lycurgus Cup
52 Odometer
54 Robot Bar
56 Sunstones and lenses
58 Inventor: Heron of Alexandria
60 Houfeng Didong Yi
62 Baghdad Battery
64 Musical Instruments
66 Alchemy
68 Venetian Arsenal
70 Inventor: Leonardo da Vinci
72 Quipus
74 Aztec Sun Stone
76 Taqi al-Din
78 Rai Stones
80 Greek Fire
82 Submarines
84 Inventor: Ada Lovelace
86 Lost Libraries
88 Timeline
90 Timeline
92 Glossary
94 Index
96 Imprint
About the author
Emily Dodd loves science and wildlife. She is the author of picture books and non-fiction science books, a screenwriter for CBeebies, a singer-songwriter and a BBC radio playwright. Emily travels widely, taking her interactive science events to schools, libraries and festivals. Her books for children include DKFindOut! Energy (DK, 2018), the Tell Me About series (Templar) and The Book of Lost Knowledge (Wide Eyed Editions, 2025).
Christian Gralingen was born in Essen, Germany and now lives and works as an Art Director and Illustrator, as well as teaching Illustration and Communication Design, in Berlin. His client list includes design agencies, publishing houses, magazines, academic institutions and foundations. His aesthetics have many influences but are particularly inspired by the imagery of scientific publications, construction plans and technical drawings.
