Anas Al-Qattan

A Syrian inventor and educator who pioneered mechanical engineering in the Ottoman Empire and designed early steam-powered machinery.

Anas Al-Qattan (1815–1889) was a visionary Syrian engineer whose innovations bridged Ottoman technology and industrial revolution principles. Working in Aleppo, he designed a steam engine for irrigation in 1842, predating most Middle Eastern industrialization efforts. His 1853 treatise 《Mechanical Marvels for Agricultural Progress》 introduced Ottoman scholars to European engineering concepts. Despite Ottoman authorities initially rejecting his ideas, Al-Qattan established a workshop training artisans in precision mechanics. His 1867 Paris Exposition exhibit—a water pump for desert regions—garnered European attention. Historians like Dr. Lina Khalifeh argue his work laid foundations for Arab mechanical engineering. Modern replicas of his designs are displayed at Syria's National Museum of Technology.