- Buckle
The buckle originated in circa 700 B.C.E. Many examples survive from ancient Greece and Rome, and indeed from all over Europe into the Middle Ages. The word buckle comes from the Latin word bucca meaning “cheek." Due to its ease of use and manufacture, the buckle continues as a solution to the many fastening problems posed by clothing and equipment.
Early buckles were manufactured from bone, ivory and metal and were used on military gear, harnesses, and armor, being favored mainly because of their durability. The use of the buckle was not restricted to these areas though; they were commonly used as fasteners on boots and shoes and, prior to the invention of the zip, on clothing.
The addition of decorative ornamentation lifted the buckle out of its utilitarian realm. Buckles made of silver and bronze and inlaid with precious stones have been found in graves and tombs such as that of Childeric I, king of the Franks, who died in 481 C.E. Jeweled shoe buckles were in vogue during the reign of Louis XIV. During the nineteenth century, the British Navy was at the height of its power, but it had one intractable problem; the sailors' clothes were fastened with laces and eyelets. In cold, wet conditions the fastenings became fiddly to use, and waterlogged clothes were poorly supported by the laces. One clever seaman allegedly had the idea of fastening a buckle to a leather strap and using this to hold up his trousers; it worked and was easy to use, even with freezing fingers.
Today, buckles remain a fashion accessory though lack the status of jewelry.
SEE ALSO: CLOTHING, METALWORKING, SHOE, BUTTON, FASTENING, HELMET, CHAIN MAIL, STANDARD DIVING SUIT
- Built Shelter
The earliest evidence for built shelter appears to have been constructed by Homo heidelbergensis, who lived in Europe between around 800,000 B.CE. and 200,000 B.C.E. Anthropologists are l uncertain whether these were ancestors of Homo Sapiens (humans) or Homo neanderthalensis (Neanderthals) or both.
At the French site of Terra Amata, which dates back around 4O0,000 years, l archaeologists have found what they believe to be the foundations of large oval huts. One of these shows evidence of fire in a hearth, although other archaeologists postulate that natural processes could be responsible. Archaeology on sites from hundreds of thousands of years ago is complicated. Claims of the discovery it shelters in Japan from more than 500,000 years ago were discredited in 2000. In fact, all evidence for human in Japan before 35,000 years ago is currently questionable.
We do know that our ancestors spent time in caves for hundreds of thousands of years. But caves are only found in certain areas. Whether they started building 100,000 or 400,000 years ago, their ability to create shelters Close to food, water , and other resources provided our ancestors with protection against the elements and dangerous animals. Living close to work also gave them more time to experiment with different ways of doing things; in other words, time to invent.
SEE ALSO : DRIED BRICK, FORT, WATTLE AND DAUB, FIRED BRICK, PLASTER