Highly readable survey relates technology to historical epochs from earliest times to the onset of Industrial Revolution, and from mid-18th century to beginning of the 20th. Food production, metalworking, building construction, early sources of power, development of steam engine, mining, internal combustion machines, electricity, more. 354 black-and-white illustrations. 1961 edition.
Here's a sample of other books in this Dover category
Engineering in History by Richard Shelton Kirby Broad, nontechnical survey of history's major technological advances: birth of Greek science, Industrial Revolution, electricity and applied science, 20th-century automation, much more. 181 illustrations. "Excellent." — Isis.
Mechanical Appliances, Mechanical Movements and Novelties of Construction by Gardner D. Hiscox This engrossing visual narrative profiles hundreds of mechanical devices. Nearly 1,000 detailed illustrations — including steam-powered appliances, spring-powered devices, and other machinery — are accompanied by informative descriptions.
1800 Mechanical Movements, Devices and Appliances by Gardner D. Hiscox A fascinating compendium of early-20th-century mechanical devices, this expansive work ranges from basic levers to complex machinery. More than 1,800 engravings include simple illustrations and detailed cross-sections.
507 Mechanical Movements: Mechanisms and Devices by Henry T. Brown This 1868 collection features simplified illustrations of the mechanisms used in hydraulics, steam engines, pneumatics, presses, horologes, and other machines. Captioned drawings depict the movements of each mechanism.
Brunelleschi: Studies of His Technology and Inventions by Frank D. Prager, Gustina Scaglia Comprehensive book describes how Filippo Brunelleschi built the dome of Florence's famed cathedral: masonry techniques, construction concepts, and more. 28 halftones. 18 line illustrations.
De Natura Fossilium (Textbook of Mineralogy) by Georgius Agricola This 1546 publication remains a landmark in geology, with unprecedented classifications by physical property and locality, simple standardized naming system, summaries of earlier studies, and employment of observation and personal experience.
