Technological WI: Better Technology exchange between China and Europe

[LordKalvan]

1. The Horse Collar: China. Third Century BC. About the fourth century BC the Chinese devised a harness with a breast strap known as the trace harness, modified approximately one hundred later into the collar harness. Unlike the throat-and-girth harness used in the West, which choked a horse and reduced its efficiency (it took two horses to haul a half a ton), the collar harness allowed a single horse to haul a ton and a half. The trace harness arrived in Europe in the sixth century and made its way across Europe by the eighth century.

2. The Wheelbarrow: China, First Century BC. Wheelbarrows did not exist in Europe before the eleventh or twelfth century (the earliest known Western depiction is in a window at Chartres Cathedral, dated around 1220 AD). Descriptions of the wheelbarrow in China refer to first century BC, and the oldest surviving picture, a frieze relief from a tomb-shrine in Szechuan province, dates from about 118 AD.

3. The Moldboard Plow: China, Third Centrury BC. Called kuan, these ploughshares were made of malleable cast iron. They had an advanced design, with a central ridge ending in a sharp point to cut the soil and wings which sloped gently up towards the center to throw the soil off the plow and reduce friction. When brought to Holland in the 17th Century, these plows began the Agricultural Revolution.

4. Stirrups: The invention of the stirrup was timely and appreciated. Before its appearance, riders had to hold on tightly to the horse's mane to avoid falling off, in addition to having to mount the horse by a flying leap or a pole vault. This invention did not appear in the West until 400 years later.

These are just four of the most significant examples of Chinese inventions which would have changed the history of Europe. What if these technological breakthroughs are conveyed to Europe early on (say in the 2nd-3rd century AD - maybe in connection to the famed Chinese trade mission which reached the Caspian sea, and possibly even the Black sea)?
The stirrups would completely change the art of warfare: imagine cataphracti with stirrups.
The moldboard plow would dramatically oincrease the agricultural production, and possibly result in an early agricultural revolution, with attached population explosion.
The horse collar and the wheelbarrow would drastically reduce the need for slaves.

Any thoughts?

 

[sunsurf]

The hot air balloon is something that might have been invented earlier as well. And kites could become hang gliders.
The butterfly effect would kick in and there are just too many possibilities to list here. But it would be fun.

 

[Grey Wolf]

There was that really bizarre article I read somewhere about Charlemagne being helped by supernatural flying shields - some see them as being UFOs, the author of the article 'proved' they were flying carpets, whilst I wondered if they were in fact not hang-gliders

Grey Wolf

 

[carlton_bach]

the stirrup gets badly overestimted. I\ll write more when I get home and havemy own computer again

Greetings from Finland, btw

 

[Adamanteus]

The East and West knew of each other's existence at least since the time of the Roman Empire. During the Han dynasty, the Silk Road was established, and a large corridor of it conquered to ensure the passage of Chinese goods. However, the problem was that the Silk Road was interspersed by a wide range of nomadic people, bandits, and shady kingdoms, which made trade difficult over its length. This made a lot of merchants on both sides avoid the route altogether, as there were lots of stories of people getting killed by bandits, and no businessman wanted that. Not until the Mongols conquered the entire length of the Silk Road, in the 13th century, that trade could be guaranteed safe.

Create an ATL in which this happens and you've got yourself a fair chance of getting this advances over. I'd say the following are possibilities:

1) Persian Empire expands northeast instead of into Greece, to crush the Massagetae. They encounter China, at the time of the Zhou dynasty, and establish some trade relations.

2) Alexander goes into Central Asia instead of India, establishing more Alexandrias which survive his death and are able to keep the Silk Road open to the West.

3) The Arabs advance into Central Asia, instead of Spain, after the Battle of Talas. The Caliphate eventually establishes a grand trade network that triggers a scientific revolution in the 13th century, just before the Mongols sweep in.

 

[LordKalvan]

The problem (besides the insecurity of the Silk Road) is that the merchants were interested just in low-bulk, high value merchandise (gems and silks) rather than new ideas.
The expansion into Central Asia is a nice idea, but at the times we are talking about Central asia is that there are no revenues and a lot of horse barbarians. It is very unlikely for an empire to expand there rather than India or Europe.
What would be needed is a marco polo ante-litteram: someone who is maybe exiled from the Roman Empire, and decides to go wandering. 10-15 years later he comes back from the far east, and writes a history of his travels.
Btw, 13th century is too late. I'd love these contacts to be 1000 years before that.

 

[LordKalvan]

the stirrup gets badly overestimted. I\ll write more when I get home and havemy own computer again

Greetings from Finland, btw

I'll be interested in reading your posting. To my knowledge, the stirrups changed the cavalry tactics dramatically: I do not believe there would have been feudalism and chivalry without the stirrups, for example.