Ancient Meitei science and technology

The Ancient science and technology of the Meitei ethnicity describes scientific knowledge, practices, devices and technologies invented or used in Ancient Kangleipak (Antique Manipur). The Meitei ethnicity invented and used many simple machines. They also invented many advanced scientific methods in the field of medicine, astronomy. Most of the ancient knowledge are recorded in the manuscripts, which are popularly known as the Puya (Meitei texts).^[1][2]

Astronomy

The Ancient Meitei astronomers had developed the knowledge of the planets, stars and other heavenly bodies. They believed in the nine planets, which includes the sun and the moon, and excludes the Earth and Pluto.

Nine planet system

Sl. No.	Ancient Meitei	Latin-Roman transliteration	Modern Meitei	Latin-Roman transliteration	Literal meaning	English translation
1	ꯅꯣꯡꯃꯥꯢꯆꯤꯡ ꯊꯄꯤ	Nongmaiching Thapee	ꯅꯣꯡꯃꯥꯢꯖꯤꯡ ꯊꯕꯤ	Nongmaijing Thabee	Sunday planet	Sun
2	ꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧꯀꯥꯄ ꯊꯄꯤ	Ningthoukaapa Thapee	ꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧꯀꯥꯕ ꯊꯕꯤ	Ningthoukaaba Thabee	Monday planet	Moon
3	ꯂꯩꯄꯥꯛꯄꯣꯛꯄ ꯊꯄꯤ	Leipaakpokpa Thapee	ꯂꯩꯕꯥꯛꯄꯣꯛꯄ ꯊꯕꯤ	Leibaakpokpa Thabee	Tuesday planet	Mars
4	ꯌꯨꯝꯁꯥꯀꯩꯁꯥ ꯊꯄꯤ	Yumsakeisa Thapee	ꯌꯨꯝꯁꯀꯩꯁ ꯊꯕꯤ	Yumsakeisa Thabee	Wednesday planet	Mercury
5	ꯁꯥꯀꯣꯜꯁꯦꯟ ꯊꯄꯤ	Sakolsen Thapee	ꯁꯒꯣꯜꯁꯦꯟ ꯊꯕꯤ	Sagolsen Thabee	Thursday planet	Jupiter
6	ꯏꯂꯥꯢ ꯊꯄꯤ	Eelai Thapee	ꯏꯔꯥꯢ ꯊꯕꯤ	Eerai Thabee	Friday planet	Venus
7	ꯊꯥꯡꯆ ꯊꯄꯤ	Thaangcha Thapee	ꯊꯥꯡꯖ ꯊꯕꯤ	Thaangja Thabee	Saturday planet	Saturn
8	ꯁꯥꯀꯣꯛ ꯊꯄꯤ	Shaakok Thapee	ꯁꯥꯀꯣꯛ ꯊꯕꯤ	Shaakok Thabee	Head of Taoroinai dragon	Uranus
9	ꯁꯥꯃꯩ ꯊꯄꯤ	Shaamei Thapee	ꯁꯥꯃꯩ ꯊꯕꯤ	Shaamei Thabee	Tail of Taoroinai dragon	Neptune

Medicine

Hidaklon

The "Hidaklon" is an early work on the various medicinal herbs and their usage of curing the ailments.^[3]

Leiron

The "Leiron" is an old work on the different species of flowering plants (angiosperms).^[4]

Technology

Metallurgy

The development of metallurgy was well advanced in the Kakching region in Ancient Manipur. It used various techniques and methods to extract iron ores and convert them into usable forms.^[5]

Yangtoupa and Yangtoupi

Yangtoupa & Yangtoupi
Time controlling deities[6]
Member of Meitei deities
Other names	Yangdouba and Yangdoubi Yangtouba and Yangtoubi
Affiliation	Meitei mythology (Manipuri mythology) and Meitei religion (Sanamahism)
Major cult center	Tanyeishang Loishang (Time Keeping Office)
Abode	Tanyeishang Loishang (Time Keeping Office)
Artifacts	Wooden statues[6]
Region	Ancient Kangleipak (Antique Manipur)
Ethnic group	Meitei ethnicity
Festivals	Cheiraoba (Meitei New Year)[7][8][9]
Greek equivalent	Chronos (Khronos or Chronus)
Roman equivalent	Saturn

Yangtoupa (Yangdouba) and Yangtoupi (Yangdoubi) are the god and the goddess of time in Meitei mythology, folklore and religion (Sanamahism) of Ancient Manipur (Antique Kangleipak). The earliest known record of the existence of the cult of the two time controlling deities dates back to the 2nd century AD during the reign of King Khuyoi Tompok (aka Khuiyoi Tompok).^[6] The wooden statues of the two deities are the first known sculptures ever created.^[6]

The wooden idols of the two deities are the supporting devices to the ancient Meitei time measuring device. The two deities mounted on the frame, being separated by seven Kangkhils (seeds). Yangtoupa (Yangdouba), the god, is allowed to move towards Yangtoupi (Yangdoubi), the goddess, after each dip of the bowl. When the two deities meet each other, one day of the month is recorded according to the set mechanism.^[10]

The two deities are offered foods and worshipped by the Tanyeishang Loishang (lit. Time Keeping Office) on the day of Cheiraoba (Meitei new year). In honor of the two deities, the Loishang (lit. office) celebrated the Cheiraoba. This is an important part of the Meitei tradition.^[7][8][9]