Ancient Balances at the Nexus of Innovation and Knowledge By Jochen Büttner Are similar patterns to be seen in the develop- ment of dierent technological objects? Is it possible to identify such patterns, where appli- cable, in dierent periods? Which factors can be taken into account in explaining processes of technological development? What role does knowledge play in the development of techno- logical objects, and what inuence do such developments, for their part, have on knowl- edge? It is against the background of these general questions that the Topoi Junior Research Group Between Knowledge and Inno- vation launches its study of balances with arms of unequal length. e rst evidence of scales and weights dates back to circa 3000 BCE, in Egypt. e concept of weighing spread quickly and had an imme- diate impact on the Bronze Age world. Balances continued to evolve, but their basic principle remained the same for millennia: the weight (or more precisely, the mass) of the item to be weighed on one arm of the balance is compen- sated (or, literally, “balanced”) by the identical Steelyard with Arabic characters. Egypt or Syria, ninth to tenth century (Benaki Museum, Athens. Inv. No. 13275). Research Topics OCTOBER 2013 MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE FOR THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE