[GingisK]

None of the other points are indicative of technology higher than our own. Fillings in teeth are impressive, and certainly prove that they were smart people who were able to solve real problems with excellent solutions. Most Native Americans died of abscessed teeth simply because they didn't fill cavities.

Don't get me wrong. I am fascinated by the ancient Egyptians and admire their accomplishments. Any claims that we are unequal to their technology are just silly, and discredit the field of archeology.

[RoosterRedux]

I'll have to admit that I wasn't focused on the comparative claim of primitive man's technology being greater than that of modern man.

I was just interested in the idea that primitive man, at some point, had technology that might not have been primitive at all (by modern standards).

What this discussion brought to my mind were things in ancient myths/literature from mostly the Babylonian/Assyrian/Sumerian/Akkadian areas as to demigods (Apkallu) passing on technology (among other things).