Middle Ages (5th-15th Century)

This online database of over 3,000 images from the California Institute of Technology's archive of visual materials illustrates the history of science from the Scientific Revolution to the present. Photographs, fine prints, book illustrations, paintings, and architectural drawings of various scientists and their projects, including Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, George Ellery Hale, and Linus Pauling are found in the database. Images are accompanied by a brief (roughly 150-word) biography and, in many cases, a photograph or other image of the scientist(s) involved in the project. The site can be browsed through two sub-categories, "Science and Technological artifacts" and "Rare Books," as well as a keyword search by scientist name or subject. This site provides an ideal tool for research on the history of science and prominent scientific figures.

Good site for children interested in learning about latitude, longitude, ships, compasses, and other topics related to nautical travel. Especially focuses on the progress made in navigation during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. A variety of related links are also available.

The MacTutor Archive hosts thousands of biographical sketches of important mathematicians. Many of the biographies include links to documents and other materials related to mathematicans. Searches can be performed alphabetically or chronologically. In addition to the biographies, the site also includes a number of essays that are grouped by culture and topic. Thus the chronology of Pi or the history of zero can be found under "Arab Mathematics" and "Number Theory" among other categories. This is one of the most-linked to history of science sites on the web because it contains so much information.

This site, developed by the Society for the History of Technology, teaches the history of the production and consumption of textiles. Three completed "modular units," Early Industrialization, True Colors, and Synthetic Fibers, link the history of textile technology to issues of race and gender in American history. Five more units will be available soon. Web teaching materials include teacher and student essays, lesson plans, slide shows, videos, and documents. Other collaborators on the project include the National Science Foundation; the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution; and the Center for Children and Technology. The site is designed for middle and high school students and social studies teachers.

This site compiles over 130 biographies of women scientists throughout the ages organized alphabetically, chronologically, and by discipline. A handful of images are also available, as is an extensive bibliography. Unfortunately most of the site has not been updated since 1999 and many of the off-site links are no longer valid.

A short listing of major events in the history of science. Very limited with incomplete data for several entries. Text only and no links.

ArchNet, maintained by the Archaeological Research Institute at Arizona State University, is an exhaustive repository for links to archeology-related sites. Links are organized and browsable by region, topic, education and research, and institutions and organizations. It also features a search function which includes a guided form.

Collection of links to other virtual libraries which catalog sites in the following topics: Agriculture, The Arts, Business and Economics, Communications and Media, Computing and Computer Science, Education, Engineering, Humanities and Humanistic Studies, Information and Libraries, International Affairs, Law, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Recreation, Regional Studies, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Society. Material is well maintained and can be browsed by subject or searched, and is available in English, Spanish, French and Chinese.

ARGE maintains a collection of reviewed online resources relating to European archeology. Their page is searchable, or browsable by subject, country or period. They also devote a section to newly added links. Available in Dutch and English.