The History of Locks

Securing one’s property has long been a concern of people throughout the world.  Beyond hiding the objects or constantly guarding them the most frequently used option is to secure them with a device.  Early solutions included knots to either detect, like the Thief knot, or hamper, like the Gordian Knot.  Historians are unsure where the first lock was invented, but evidence suggests that locks initially developed independently in the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman civilizations.  Wooden locks and keys were in use as early as 4,000 years ago in Assyria.  The first known lock with a key is a pin lock.  The lock is strung on a rope hanging out of a hole in a door.  A cylinder of wood with a hole drilled through its axis is the key, the length of the cylinder being the critical factor.  The key is inserted into the hole and the bolt is pushed the correct distance.  To lock the door the rope was pulled to extract the key cylinder, simultaneously pulling the bolt closed.  This type of lock is still in use in certain parts of the world.  Puerto Rico still uses this system.  A disadvantage of this lock is that a vandal can push the rope into the hole— an ancient equivalent of putting glue into a lock.

Early improvements in pin locks included increasing the number of pins to increase security, and changing the orientation of the pins to allow the key to provide the unlocking force instead of a rope, thus establishing the principles of the modern pin tumbler lock.

Next was developed a warded lock that is still used in modern times when the security required is not high and cost is a significant factor.  It is the first lock design to have a key recognizable to a modern western person.  Lock puzzles were used to obscure the locking mechanism or even provide a non-functioning lock for the thief to waste time on.

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