Ancient civilizations had various explanations and understandings of gravity, although their conceptual frameworks differed significantly from our modern understanding. Here are a few examples of how some ancient civilizations explained gravity:
Ancient Greece: In ancient Greece, the prevailing view of gravity was influenced by the philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BCE). Aristotle proposed a natural motion theory where objects had an inherent tendency to move towards their natural place in the universe. According to this theory, Earth was the center of the universe, and objects fell toward the Earth because it was their natural place.
Ancient China: Chinese scholars developed their own understanding of gravity. During the Han Dynasty (202 BCE - 220 CE), the Chinese astronomer and mathematician Zhang Heng proposed that the Earth was suspended in space and that gravity was the force that held it in place. He also described the concept of a gravitational attraction between Earth and celestial bodies.
Ancient India: Indian scholars developed different theories related to gravity. In the 5th century CE, the mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata proposed that the Earth was round and rotated on its axis, causing objects to fall towards it. He also suggested that the apparent rising and setting of the Sun and stars was due to the rotation of the Earth.
Ancient Egypt: The ancient Egyptians did not have a comprehensive scientific understanding of gravity. However, their architectural achievements, such as the construction of the pyramids, suggest some practical knowledge of gravity and engineering principles. They likely understood that heavy objects needed a solid foundation to avoid collapsing under their weight.
It is important to note that these ancient explanations were based on philosophical, observational, and intuitive reasoning, rather than the scientific methodologies and empirical evidence that we rely on today. Our modern understanding of gravity as a fundamental force of attraction between objects with mass emerged through the work of scientists such as Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein in more recent centuries.