Magic Tricks Used in Temples

The Hero of Alexandria was a man who lived circa 10-70 AD. He is famous for creating the first steam engine as well as a number of other fantastic features in temples often involving complex mechanisms that would perform magic tricks such as opening the temple doors without anyone touching them. Hero also did a number of moving statues for the various temples in order to “sell” the presences of a god or gods with unexplained phenomena for those less educated. In fact, many of his inventions may have played a significant role in determining the beliefs of those who witnessed them.

Not only did Hero invent such things as the first vending machine or automatic door, he presented the temples with a number of moving scenes. In the cover image of this essay a scene is depicted of a man striking a dragon with a club. Water would be poured in the basin on the right and the dragon would appear to drink the water. As the dragon drank, the man turned slowly as if winding up his swing. Eventually, after the dragon “drank” enough water, the man would strike the dragon and the dragon would spill the water out its mouth. The scene could be repeated by feeding more water into the basin. This was only one a number of moving scenes that Hero created. Some believed that the god or gods were playing by enacting out silly scenes such as the one previously described. What makes this one slightly unusual is the presence of a dragon. Most of the other depicted scenes do not have a dragon in them.

Dragons did not become particularly well advertised until almost a 1000 years later in China, where they were thought to be larger and more terrifying. It appears people always appreciate a good story. Though the work of Hero may have swayed beliefs, the machines he created were nothing more than intricate tricks or illusions cause by natural means.

Reference

Bennet Woodcraft

 1851 The Pneumatics of the Hero of Alexandria. London: Taylor Walton and Maberly