One of the things that you must have in your pocket before leaving for work is your keys. It might be a small thing, but locks and keys have always been part of people’s everyday life — and some of them often take it for granted.
In fact, the locksmith services you have availed multiple times have a long history. From manual locks to digital ones, Robinson’s Locksmiths says that the art of locksmithing has surely gone a long way. Take a step back and see how it all started to appreciate the craft and your locksmith even more.
History of locksmithing
Locks are believed to have existed 4,000 years ago during the Ancient Egyptian era and during the reign of the Babylonians. Ancient locks were made of wood and were not as tiny as they are at present. A key, as big as a toothbrush, is used to unlock it.
About thousands of years ago, wealthy people are the ones who used locks to protect their belongings. The keys to those locks are worn as ornaments in their body, and this served as a status symbol during the ancient times. The more keys you have with you, the more valuable things you have in your possession.
Locksmithing at present
The Romans adapted the idea of locks from the Egyptians and used metal for the locks, and bronze for the keys instead of wood. Nearly 1,700 years later, people still use this basic locking method from the Romans — with some minor changes. Over the years, keys were made more complicated to prevent theft and lock malfunction. Now, there are more sizes and materials to choose from. Locks are also coping with the advancements of technology and are starting to be digitised as well.
Locks have gone a long way in securing your valuables. Knowing how and where they started makes the existence of locks more valuable and important.