What you may not know about Egyptians, Romans, Vikings and locks

Keys and locks are so common that we may not think about the fact that they used to not exist! But people have always had belongings they wanted to secured. Here are 3 fun facts about locks in ancient times.

1️⃣ The oldest known wooden locks date back to Ancient Egypt around 2000 BC. These locks were wooden and secured tombs and temples. Locks became a symbol of wealth. Everyday people couldn't afford them.

2️⃣ Metal locks replaced the wooden locks of Ancient Egypt during the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD. These metal locks were bronze and iron and were more secure than wooden locks. The Romans came up with the idea to attach a ring to the end of the key. This made it easier to hold the key while turning it in the lock.

3️⃣ Vikings became very good at making padlocks. Married Viking women had a high social status. To symbolize this, upon marriage the woman was given a set of keys to wear.

Throughout time keys and locks have held important functions in society. They still do today and we at Payson Lock & Key are continuing the tradition with modern locks.