History of Umbrellas

What did common people in ancient times use to protect themselves from the rain?

What material was used to make the ribs of old umbrellas?

What was unique about the umbrellas in old Chinese books?

Who used umbrellas in ancient Greece?

What material were old umbrellas often made of?

What feature do modern umbrellas have that old umbrellas did not?

What was used by people in the South Pacific to protect themselves from the sun and rain?

History of Umbrellas

The concept of an umbrella is over 1,000 years old, as depicted in ancient Middle Eastern sculptures featuring kings with umbrellas.
In ancient Greece, fashionable women carried umbrellas over 2,000 years ago.
In ancient China, only royalty used umbrellas, as seen in illustrations in old Chinese books.
The ancient Chinese umbrellas looked similar to today's umbrellas.

Umbrella Development

In the Middle Ages, Europeans likely used coats to protect themselves from the rain, with little evidence of umbrella use.
In the South Pacific, people used palm leaf umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun and rain.
Modern umbrellas have undergone significant improvements, making them better than their ancient counterparts.
Old umbrellas were made of oiled silk, whereas modern umbrellas are made of cotton or plastic.
The ribs of old umbrellas were made of wood, whereas modern umbrella ribs are made of steel.
Modern umbrellas feature a telescoping trunk that can collapse to become shorter or extend to become longer.

Learn about the origins and evolution of umbrellas, from ancient civilizations to modern times. Discover how umbrellas were a status symbol in ancient Greece and China.