Robert Jacobus Forbes

Robert Jacobus Forbes or Robert James Forbes (21 April 1900, Breda – 13 January 1973, Haarlem) was a Dutch chemist and historian of science and professor in the history of applied science and technology at the University of Amsterdam. He was the recipient of the first Leonardo da Vinci Medal, the highest award by the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT). He died at his home at Haarlem 13 January 1971 at the age of 72. This work was reviewed in multiple publications.

In 1936 Forbes also published Bitumen and petroleum in antiquity. In this work Forbes summarize the use of bitumen and petroleum in antiquity, as Hassan (2013) described, that:

According to Hassan (2013) Forbes had also pointed out, that "by 347 AD the Chinese local oil and gas industry had developed considerably, because oil wells up to 800 feet were being drilled using bits connected to bamboo poles." 2. Metallurgy 3/4. Building materials; Pottery, faience, glass, glaze, beads 5/8. Paints, pigments, varnishes, inks and their application; Leather, manufacture and application; Fibrous materials; Paper, papyrus, and other writing materials. 9. Man and nature 10. Science and technology Supplement I: 1940-1950 Supplement II: 1950-1960

The latest work, Supplement II was reviewed by Eugene S. Ferguson 1964.

Studies in Ancient Technology, 1955–1964 From 1955 to 1964 Forbes published his second book series, entitled Studies in Ancient Technology, in nine volumes. This work was reprinted and new editions occurred from 1964 to 1993. The titles and subjects of the nine volumes are:

Bitumen and petroleum in antiquity; the origin of alchemy; water supply Irrigation and drainage; Power; Land transport and road-building; The coming of the camel. Cosmetics and perfumes in antiquity; Food, alcoholic beverages, vinegar; Food in classical antiquity; Fermented beverages 500 B.C. - 1500 A.D.; Crushing; Salts, preservation processes, mummification; Paints, pigments, inks and varnishes. The fibres and fabrics of antiquity; Washing, bleaching, fulling and felting; Dyes and dyeing; Spinning; Sewing, basketry and weaving; Weaving and looms; Fabrics and weavers. Leather in antiquity; Sugar and its substitutes in antiquity; Glass. Heat and heating; Refrigeration, the art of cooling and producing cold; Light. Ancient geology; Ancient mining and quarrying; Ancient mining techniques. Metallurgy in antiquity, part 1; Early metallurgy, the smith and his tools, gold, silver and lead, zinc and brass. Metallurgy in antiquity, part 2; Copper and bronze, tin, arsenic, antimony and iron.

Over the years these works were subject of multiple reviews.

Other publications After the Second World War Forbes published multiple specialized and more general books on the history of technology and engineering, which received several reviews, such as: Short History of the Art of Distillation from the Beginnings up to the Death of Cellier Blumenthal (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1948) Man the Maker. A History of Technology and Engineering (New York: Henry Schuman, 1950) Studies in Early Petroleum History (Leiden: Brill, 1958.), and: More Studies in Early Petroleum History, 1860-1880 (Leiden: Brill, 1959.)

With E. J. Dijksterhuis in 1963 Forbes published a History of Science and Technology with Penguin Books in two volumes. The first volume covered Ancient Times to the Seventeenth Century, and the second the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries. Two of his latest works were The principal works of Simon Stevin published in 1966, and The Conquest of Nature: Technology and Its Consequences published in 1968.

Selected publications Forbes, Robert James. Bitumen and petroleum in antiquity. 1936. Forbes, Robert James. Bibliographia Antiqua: Philosophia Naturalis. 10 volumes and 2 supplements, 1940–1963. Forbes, Robert James. Metallurgy in antiquity: a notebook for archaeologists and technologists. Brill Archive, 1950. Forbes, Robert James. Studies in Ancient Technology. Vol. 1-9. Brill Archive, 1955-64. Forbes, Robert James, and Eduard Jan Dijksterhuis. A history of science and technology. Vol. 1. Penguin books, 1963.

Articles, a selection Forbes, Robert James. "Short history of the art of distillation." British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 3 (11):273-275 (1952). Forbes, Robert James. "Metallurgy in antiquity." Studies in Ancient Technology VIII. Leiden. 1971.