The Reading Voyage: Exploring the world, one chapter at a time.

Lost Discoveries: The Ancient Roots of Modern Science — From the Babylonians to the Maya by Dick Teresi

Join us for an evening that pairs historical inquiry with a light dose of scholarly mischief — the kind of session where we can debate epistemology and laugh about how the Babylonians were doing trigonometry before anyone had the decency to invent coffee.

Teresi’s study offers a comparative survey of scientific knowledge systems across ancient civilizations, challenging the linear, Eurocentric narrative that often dominates the history of science. We’ll examine his methodological choices, his use of archaeological and textual evidence, and the broader implications of restoring non‑Western scientific traditions to the global intellectual record — all while maintaining the right to make affectionate jokes about astronomer‑priests who tracked Venus more faithfully than most of us track our inboxes.

We'll discuss such topics as

• historiographical interventions: How does Teresi reposition ancient civilizations within the global history of science
• epistemic categories: What happens when we apply Western definitions of “science” to non‑Western knowledge systems
• methodological tensions: How does the author navigate fragmentary evidence, translation gaps, and cultural distance
• knowledge transmission: Which discoveries persisted, which vanished, and what shaped those trajectories
• narrative voice: How does Teresi’s humor, tone, or framing influence our perception of ancient scientific sophistication

Hope to see you there!