The History of Doors


The first doors recorded into human history were in ancient Egypt. There are several paintings from the time that confirm doors were used, and hot climate of Egypt would have ensured that the wood they used would not warp. Large slabs of wood were mounted to the door frame with hinges.

But temperatures in other areas would force wood to warp, facilitating the need to hang a door within a frame.

King Solomon had his temple doors made of olive wood, as were many of the doors of the era. In India, large stones were used the same way that wing doors were used in the Old West, except they did not swing as quickly as their wooden counterparts.

The Greeks and Romans perfected doors, using some of the same styles that we use today. They even used sliding and folding doors far before our modern technology made them easy to mass produce and install. The doors of that era were typically made of bronze, like most doors of medieval Europe.

Doors today are mass produced with materials designed to make them cheap and sturdy. Although doors of the past often had some ceremonial value, doors of today are more practical in nature. A door no longer marks a special event, and has little symbolic significance. It’s more of a barrier between one’s home and the wildlife that can make its way inside.

There is also a trend of doors that lead to nowhere, or doors that cannot be easily seen. The ancient Egyptians were big on putting fake doors into tombs. These served two different reasons: they acted as a place for the dead to place offerings in the afterlife, and they also helped deter tomb raiders from the goods inside.

Doors have gone from fixture to necessity, creating many styles throughout the ages.

 

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