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					Originally Posted by kronckew
					
				 
				screws were known and laboriously hand filed, as were small intricate gears in pre-christian greece/rome. common metal  screws were 16c and accurate screw cutting lathes were invented late 18c. 
			
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 Thread-cutting machine tools - yes, later, and yes, the screw thread can be cut by hand, but the internal, female one requires a tap of some kind.  
I presume these developments have been studied and documented, I would be curious to see them.