Prior to the civilization to have emerged from the industrial revolution, what culture was most advanced?

Question

"Advanced" from a purely technological perspective, I mean, regardless of their stance on various rights issues.

Answer 1

do you mean the agriculture revolution?  that would be hard to say...all band level societies were pretty much the same...but if the industrial revolution is the true question...then it would be Europe.

Answer 2

Although the cultures in Mesoamerica were advanced, the highest known technology was known by the people of Arabia (later the Byzantine Empire).

Their writings were wide spread, the mathematics in use very advanced (they invented the concept of Zero, for example) and they possessed knowledge about glass making and metallurgy which took the Europeans centuries to develop.

The alchemy behind their pigments and dyes was ahead of anywhere else in to world.  They were the first to distill alcohol from wine and, in fact, the equipment they used in their practical laboratories became the standards for most of what would become Western (European) chemistry.

Damascus steel was the standard upon which all other blades were compared.  In addition they were very much ahead of anywhere else in the formation of the alloys which modern brass, bronze and pewter are based.

The domes used in their architecture were studied by the Gothic cathedral builders.  Their arches were as good as anything built by the Romans.

The glassware and ceramics used for everyday utensils are better than much produced after the Industrial revolution.

Astronomy and navigation were also very advanced.

Answer 3

the aztecs even the creators said they where

Answer 4

I think the civilizations of India/Pakistan were the most advanced.  They even had an ancient sewage system.

Some say they were the inventors of zero, the decimal system and of calculus.   They had great accuracy in measuring length, mass, and time. They were among the first to develop a system of uniform weights and measures.  They also knew lots about astronomy.

The earliest writing seems to come from that area on pottery dating back 5500 years (see first source below) .

They are the first to make steel.

Hinduism is believed to be the oldest religion still practiced today.  With numerous religious books dating before Christ was ever born.

Answer 5

The Mayan cicilization or the Aztecs, maybe. I'd say Mayan though.