Today we all have an umbrella, but in many ancient societies they were the exclusive privilege of high-born. The first known picture of an umbrella was found on the triumphal monument of Sargon, king of Akkad (in present-day Iraq), originated around 2400. b. Cr. Sargon has shown that enters at the head of his army, while the servant immediately behind him carrying an umbrella. The idea umbrellas spread from Mesopotamia to the west and so soon arrived to Egypt. It will not surprise us as such blinds soon became popular throughout the Mediterranean and find them and the Mycenaean (Greek, prehistoric) ceramics in Cyprus where a thousand years later.
The link between umbrella and noble birth is quite evident from the Egyptian story of Prophet Wenamun and his work unfinished in Lebanon. The story was written around 1070. b. Cr. and umbrella in it plays an important role. While Zakar Baal, prince of Byblos, talked with Wenamun, behind him stood a servant and head over him holding an umbrella.
Umbrellas at the time we found in the hot regions in the middle of the globe, and the kings of Assyria with the beginning of the first millennium BC, as well as Indian Buddha, often sculptural display protected from sunlight by using umbrellas as it carries a servant. In contrast to this is the Roman umbraculum (which is derived from the word umbra, that is a shadow), made of lightweight fabric taut on a wooden frame, was much more democratic asleep, and their appearance a common occurrence in the Roman streets. The poet Ovid even believed that women should not even go out without a golden umbrella that refuses sharply sun.
Umbraculum is, however, in functional terms, however was only a parasol, because it only protected from the sun. The invention of us, however, modern parasols, protecting not only the sun but also from the rain, indebted to the Chinese. He arrived in China at the time of Chou dynasty (around 1000th to 221 BC). These are the first examples were made of silk and precious are the passengers in the car protected from the sudden rain, but the real umbrella is actually the product Dynasty Wei (386th to 535th year). It was made of heavy mulberry paper and protected from all the elements. Car had red and yellow umbrellas, while ordinary mortals have to meet the blue. In the fourteenth century was developed silk fabric strong enough to create an umbrella, but the imperial law from 1368 that fabulous new umbrellas exclusively reserved for the royal family.
The idea of umbrellas spread from China to India, where grown 1340th saw the papal nuncio, John of Marignoly. That’s what was reported in a letter to the pope: “Since all Indians usually go naked, for them has nestled habit to carry something like a small tent on the handle of the cane, which opened at will to protect from sun and rain. I am one of them brought to Florence. But this is an umbrella at the new ground is not received. Production of umbrellas, after centuries of neglect and reactive origins, truly liven up until the eighteenth century, when traders from China to Europe brought a modest paper umbrella.