60 History Of Locks
The Ages of Locks
^ The padlock wearers of Iran
»»ANYONE LOOKING AT THE
history of locks soon recognises
the different ages of their
development. But what is
apparent to all ages is the
continuing human need to lock
up. It seems to be a basic human
condition to protect and secure,
not only from the elements but
also from our fellow man. It also
seems that it’s a human trait to
err and including, for some, to
steal from others. So man, very
early on, devised a mechanical
device to try and modify his
fellow man’s behaviour – the
lock.
AGE OF WOOD
And so, from those earliest
communities, the lock was
amongst the priorities. It’s
interesting that those very first
locks that worked with a key
were made of wood but also
incorporated tumblers that
worked much like the modern
pin tumbler lock, some even
incorporating double acting
principles. This fundamental
principle of security from a
mechanical device seems to
^ Chinese style, with
embelishments, sliding key
padlo