550

Construction

Chryses of Alexandria builds a flood-control dam on a small river at Dara (Turkey) on the Persian border of the Eastern Roman Empire. As the dam curves upward into the current, it is the first horizontal arch dam. See also 560 bce Construction; 1300 Construction.

Liang Emperor Luan's Book of the Golden Hall Master describes a wind-driven land vehicle built in China by Kaots'ang Wu-Shu. This wind-driven carriage could, it is claimed, carry 30 people and travel hundreds of kilometers in a single day. Sails were also applied to wheelbarrows, and wheelbarrows with sails became a common symbol of Chinese culture in 18th-century Europe. See also 1 ce Transportation.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)