Whether you take this in a purely brick-and-mortar sense or a somewhat figurative sense, it probably wouldn’t be remiss to say that cranes are the architects of modern living. Our urban metropolises would be nothing but a pipe dream if not for the instrumental role that cranes have played in the world of construction for hundreds of years now.

The kinds of houses, offices, hotels, restaurants, and other countless categories of buildings that we’re so used to seeing wouldn’t be possible without work that only cranes can do. They are a familiar sight to anyone who lives near urban skylines, where they sit perched atop lofty structures, punctuating the horizon with their bright yellow-orange booms.

In this piece, we’re going to trace the evolution of cranes throughout history and understand the enormous impact they’ve had on society as we know it.

Understanding the Long History of Cranes

The Ancient Greeks were the first to invent cranes; these were powered by the manual labor of men and animals, such as donkeys. They were used to construct taller buildings than the ones that were typically constructed in that period.

Cranes proved to be quite popular over the years and started growing larger in size and more efficient, incorporating machinery like human treadwheels to lift heavier weights. Harbor cranes were introduced in the High Middle Ages. They were used to load and unload large ships, and to help workers construct them.

Some of these cranes were built directly into stone towers to provide greater integrity and stability. While the cranes of yore were made from wood, the Industrial Revolution ushered in the use of steel and cast iron.

Ancient Greek Cranes

The first-ever cranes were invented in the late sixth century BC by the ancient Greeks. Archaeological records show distinctive carvings depicting lewis irons and tongs used for lifting on the stone blocks in Greek temples, dating back to 515 BC.

These carvings depict holes in equidistant pairs from a given point over the block’s center of gravity, or directly above it, archaeologists regard them as undeniable evidence for the crane’s existence during that period.

Ancient Roman Cranes

The use of cranes soared during ancient times under the Roman Empire. The Romans constructed buildings extensively, and the dimensions of their buildings grew larger and larger over time.

The historical accounts of ancient Roman engineers Heron of Alexandria and Vitruvius extensively document the use of cranes under the Roman Empire. Two reliefs of Roman treadwheel cranes still exist with pictorial evidence. The Haterii tombstone dating back to the late first century CE is particularly detailed.

Medieval Cranes

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the use of the treadwheel crane across Western Europe began to decline. However, the High Middle Ages saw a revival of the treadwheel crane (Magna rota), the earliest reference of which appears in the archival literature of France dating back to 1225. That was followed by a detailed depiction in a French manuscript dating back to 1240.

The earliest documented history of harbor cranes dates back to 1244, where they were used in Utrecht. Other documented uses of harbor cranes include Antwerp in 1263, Brugge in 1288, and Hamburg in 1291. The use of the treadwheel was not recorded in England before 1331.

Cranes Evolved as Power Supplies Evolved

For several centuries, the power supplied to cranes came from the manual labor of men and animals, though the hoists used in windmills and watermills harnessed renewable sources of energy—wind and water, respectively.

Mechanical power was made possible by the steam engine—the earliest steam cranes were introduced sometime during the eighteenth or nineteenth century.

The modern cranes that we use currently are powered by internal combustion engines, hydraulic systems, or electric motors. Modern sources of power have made lifting much larger and heavier objects and materials a possibility.

Modern Cranes: All the Different Types

Cranes are popularly considered to be one of the greatest and most important inventions of all time. They play a critical role across a variety of industries, including construction, mining, shipbuilding, metal manufacturing, power plant construction, transportation, aviation, and more. They play a particularly important part in the construction industry. This heavy-duty machinery is used to lift and move heavy objects and materials from one location to another.

These are some of the most commonly used cranes across industries:

• Tower crane

• Vehicle-mounted crane

• Mobile crane

• Crawler crane

• Rough terrain crane

• All-terrain crane

• Railroad crane

• Floating crane

• Telescopic crane

• Telescopic handler crane

• Aerial crane

• Harbor crane

• Level luffing crane

The Final Word

Cranes have been with us for thousands of years and have been an indispensable tool for helping humans reach new heights, for helping us achieve feats of human excellence. Without cranes, we wouldn’t be living the way we do.

The human experience would be fundamentally different in ways that we perhaps cannot even imagine. A sizable chunk of our documented history has been undeniably impacted by the crane, and we’re much better for it.  

About the Author

Claire is a regular contributor to our website. She is a senior mechanical engineer and business analyst who specializes in crane safety procedures and practices. She is a leading crane safety consultant to major construction companies and helps devise detailed plans that help improve worker safety and security.

The author is currently working as a consultant for Rayco Wylie Crane Warning Systems Atlanta. To find out more about the company, visit their website.