Man is born with a natural sense of security. We all want to keep some things, and ourselves private. So since its creation there has been a need for locks and privacy. Lock can be anything that can keep ones belonging safe.
If you have ever thought about it, then you might feel that locksmith is also one of the oldest professions like farming. Even though we do not recognize the older ancient locks as locks now, but still at that time people used those strange looking things as locks.
In this article, we will try to search more about locksmith as an ancient profession, moreover, we will also try to find out how locksmithing is still significant today, and can we take it as a profession to make both ends meet. So let us get started.
How old is the locksmith profession?
According to studies, it is believed that this profession is as old as 4000 years. The reason why we are only sure about this drationis because of the Egyptian civilization. It is one of the oldest civilizations known to man, and there from its remains we found various types of strange locks. That is how we were able to assess the seniority of this profession.
Now you must be wondering how those locks were different from the locks we have today. Unfortunately, due to lack of technology and advancement, people were unable to create the sophisticated locks, instead they had the simpler ones. Most of the locks were manufactured with the help of raw wood, and metal. Metal locks were very rare, and for a common man the wooden locks were enough.
Even though the manufacturing of those locks was simple, the size of the older locks were pretty big. Today we have very small locks, even cards can be used today as keys.
It is believed that in older times kings had separate slaves who would carry the keys for their treasure boxes.
However, the Roman civilization was a smarter one, and they had keys similar to ours. They would wear their keys in necklaces and rings.
When were the metal keys introduced?
As man was unable to take out various types of metals from earth, therefore, metal keys and locks were rare. It is only a matter of some 2000 years, that man has started manufacturing locks and keys of metal.
They were also not very complex locks, only a single bolt lock. As time passed, locksmiths tried various methods to make locks even more complex and secure. Then it was nearly in 15th century when we got those heavy and securer locks made up of metal. This blow in the world of locksmithing, made locksmith an important profession for the society, as more and more people were now inclined to the concept of having metal locks, that cna be carried wherever they need.
Then in the 18th century, locksmiths tried the digital number system to create digital locks for safes and lockers.