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Here’s how locks changed over the years

Team StoryWeavers|January 31, 2020, 07:02 IST| 118

One day, on her way back home from school, eight-year-old Simran found a unique stone on the roadside – an oval-shaped purple colour stone covered in mud. Immediately, she picked it up and wiped off the mud, and out came a genie!

Simran squealed, “It’s a magic stone!” She carefully put in her bag and walked home. Deciding on testing the stone again that night, she kept it safely inside her drawer in the study. That night, Simran patiently waited for her parents to go to bed. Once everyone was asleep, she tiptoed into her study and slowly opened the drawer. 

And the stone was gone! 

Where did it go? Who took it? Was it her friend Geeta, who always fish into her drawer for chocolates and crayons? If only Simran had locked her drawer? 

That night Simran learned two valuable lessons – to be extra careful with her valuables and to always lock her cupboards and drawers. But was there always a set of locks to keep valuable things safe? Who invented them? How have they evolved?

This month, in #TheEvolutionofEverything, let’s look at the evolution of locks.

The Assyrians were ahead of their time when it came to locks. They invented the prototype of the pin tumbler wooden lock 4000 years ago. The world’s first key was discovered in the palace of Khorsabad. Then, the Egyptians replaced the wooden structure of the lock with brass. They began the practice of locking their houses. Though this relatively secure mechanism spread across the ancient world, it failed to impress the west. 

The Romans went a step ahead and made locks with metals. This helped them make locks and keys in intricate shapes. This also gave birth to the trend of wearing keys as lockets and rings! It was a fashion among the wealthy to flaunt their riches by wearing ornamental keys.

During the middle ages, the trend of lock picking became fairly common. As a result, the design of the lock and key became more and more complex. Some European countries made strict rules for locksmiths that keys could only be made in daylight. 

In 1784, an English inventor and locksmith Joseph Bramah came up with a pick-proof lock. This was a huge hit in Britain, only to be challenged by English lock and safe manufacturer Jeremiah Chubb. He designed locks with the unique feature of locks getting jammed when opened with the wrong key. 

In 1865, American lock manufacturer Linus Yale Jr. came up with the idea of locks attached to the door. Perhaps, the most significant change in the design of the modern key was patented by him. As a result, the keys became much smaller and thinner.

Then came the age(1950s) of electronic keys. Used wisely in hotels, offices, and universities, some keys rely on biometric scans of retinas and thumbprints. Using Bluetooth radio and touch sensors, keys have been replaced by smartphones! These locks still have a physical key for emergencies. Designed in ways that have made it almost impossible to hack, this technology has made it possible to have the same digital key to different locks.

Locks are considered to be one of the most genius innovations man has ever created. Though there have been many variations in the style, design, and mechanism of locks, you may still find doors in rural India using the traditional kundi locks. 

Tell us below in the comments if you know of any other type of locks.

Like this story? Read similar stories here:

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Tracking The Evolution Of The Television

How did the refrigerator evolve from icehouse stores?

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Comments



Ramya Shree.j

June 1, 2020

U are correct


Pratyush

May 25, 2020

A very good explanation about locks and keys

Thanks


Shabina

April 23, 2020

Thanks to byjus


palash bhatt

April 17, 2020

thanks for the great journey of lock and keys


S varsha

April 13, 2020

very interesting information it is something new for me.


Priyanshi Yadav

April 9, 2020

It’s so amazing topic


Priyangshu Das

April 9, 2020

A great thing to know!! It’s amazing!!


Imaan Jagirdar

April 4, 2020

Awesome!!!


Lavica

March 30, 2020

Yes u all are right


Samadrita sen

March 15, 2020

I like it..☺️


Basudev m.s

March 8, 2020

Cool and an amazing story???


Disha Singh

March 7, 2020

I love it…………..
It is superb journey for me


Samadrita sen

March 2, 2020

I really like it..


Harshavardhan.G

February 29, 2020

Good one


Lekshmi

February 27, 2020

Thank You Byjus for giving us a lot of information about ?? and ?️?


Namrata

February 26, 2020

Intresting


K.ABISHEK KUMAR

February 26, 2020

Very Very super


Aashi Agrawal

February 22, 2020

I like it….????????


Hemant Kumar

February 18, 2020

Very nice and interesting story.


Hemant Kumar

February 18, 2020

Very nice


Niranjana

February 14, 2020

Marvellous journey of locks.


Gauri

February 13, 2020

Interesting☺


Joel babu koshy

February 11, 2020

Awesome


G N S Rishitha

February 10, 2020

Yes that was greatest journey our world has travelled ??????☺️☺️


Khushee H. Rathod

February 10, 2020

Great l know this much information about lock first time.


Ashwin

February 9, 2020

Great??


Sanjana

February 9, 2020

Wow best journey


Sanjana

February 9, 2020

Wow evolution best journey


Anaya

February 9, 2020

Interesting evolution


Ch Monika sai

February 9, 2020

I never expected that lock’s are made from ancient people


Nishtha Khandelwal

February 9, 2020

Thanks byjus for this information


Farooqui Rifa

February 8, 2020

Very informative ☺️???


Karnam Gayatri

February 8, 2020

Good for us to known about keys. Thanks byju’s team.???


Yash bhati

February 7, 2020

Yeah, great information


Vedant jadhav

February 7, 2020

Nice information.


Sriparimala

February 7, 2020

The history of locks is interesting


Vanshika Tomar

February 6, 2020

Good


Chinmay

February 6, 2020

The evolution of the lock was so earlier it’s amazing???


Dharshini N

February 6, 2020

Very good ???


Rakshitha

February 6, 2020

It’s awesome great journey


Parthiv patel

February 5, 2020

I like it


Janaki

February 4, 2020

Amazing ?


Manisha.M

February 4, 2020

Super


Vaishnavi Mali

February 4, 2020

Great !!


Krishanu Chakraborty

February 3, 2020

Very nice ?


Prasanta Kumar Padhy

February 3, 2020

Good to see


Devyani

February 3, 2020

I analysis from the story for advanced thinking you have to conclude from the top to least. I understand the secret of success.


Shambhavi Kunwar

February 3, 2020

Thanks for the information.


Aditya

February 3, 2020

Wonderful thank you for this information!


Eniya

February 3, 2020

Thank u for this information This is very useful to me?


Mitul Panchal

February 3, 2020

Superb


Binsa Sara Bovas

February 3, 2020

Thanks for this wonderful information….


Hrishikesh

February 3, 2020

really interesting


Arushi sharma

February 2, 2020

It’s a very interesting fact. Thanks a lot for providing such an important
Information. The story is quite interesting and boasts the importance of keeping our belongings property.


Sonjib Bora

February 2, 2020

thank you so much for the information


harshvardhan phalke

February 2, 2020

Please tell us about evolution of computer storage systems next month.?


Angel

February 2, 2020

Wow ?awesome ideas .Thanku byjus for the information.A happy journey


Lakshya

February 2, 2020

Thank you for the information about these locks


SWARTHMICKA R.S

February 2, 2020

Interesting Story….


Kaiwalya Choudhari

February 2, 2020

Thank you so much for the information. I was wondering for this information.???????


M.sai supraj

February 2, 2020

They said that locks are from ancient times


Sai kartheek

February 2, 2020

I like this


Kotaiah Gathram

February 2, 2020

I like this


Ridhim verma

February 2, 2020

From this lesson I learn that when anything
Keep in are cupboard. We have to lock our
Cupboard


Minal

February 2, 2020

It is very interesting journey .


Ansh Ganesh nikam

February 2, 2020

It was a great pleasure to know about lock.


Ansh Ganesh nikam

February 2, 2020

I am so lucky to know about lock’s thank-you so much for this information.


Dhiraj Narayan Patil

February 2, 2020

I also saw many types of ancient locks on tv show OMG YEH MERA INDIA


Banjyotsna Baishya

February 2, 2020

Thank you for this information


Debalina

February 2, 2020

Such a great pleasure for me to know about these ☺️☺️☺️
Thank you BYJU’S


Sai deepthi

February 2, 2020

Super journey of locks if the locks were not invented it could be so difficult


Pranav wankhade

February 2, 2020

I like it


roodransh

February 2, 2020

waaooooo nice efforts by team


Nehal surve

February 1, 2020

Very nice. Very nicely related to the information ? ??.


Shobhitha.k.r

February 1, 2020

Oh! This lock ? helped me to shutmy study room. I didn’t know that

this ? has one big history. Thank you Byjus for the great

information about the lock. ????.I love u so much byjus for the

great service. Because of you I got to know many wonderful things.

??⌚????? ???
?? ???
?? ???
Back to school!
??✨✨✨??
✨✨???✨✨➕➕???➕➕
???????
???????………………………………………….,.!,.


A.Aadithyan

February 1, 2020

A very thanks for the information


Sradha lakshmi. S

February 1, 2020

WHAT AN INTERESTING STORY….. !!!!!!


Fariha

February 1, 2020

Wow! Such an interesting fact !
I didn’t even know that locks too carried a greatest history.


Kristi

February 1, 2020

It’s really amazing


Debarghya chatterjee

February 1, 2020

Key to the lock to open a room full of knowledge.


Thanvitha

February 1, 2020

Informative


Abhinav LG

February 1, 2020

Wow! thank you for this information please post the evolution of email or television


S. SRI PRANAV KARTHICK

February 1, 2020

IT IS A VERY INTERESTING STORY OF WOOD TO METAL LOCKS . THANK YOU BYJUS FOR SENDING THIS USEFUL MESSAGE TO ME .
AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION LOCK.


Tanvi

February 1, 2020

i like this it was really very intresting


Ashu

February 1, 2020

I like it super best journey


Aviral Shukla

February 1, 2020

That was great! ????


Krishna periwal

February 1, 2020

Nice evolution I am just waiting for next


Antareep Das Mohapatra

February 1, 2020

Thank you for giving me information about locks


Yogesh

February 1, 2020

Nice


Vaishnava.D

February 1, 2020

Wow it was superb i understood the

The importance of locks and know more
About it

Thanks byjus


Shubham

February 1, 2020

WOW!its amazing ??


Aditya Narayan Mazumder

February 1, 2020

What a History !
Thank you Byjus for this wonderful history of keys


Chinmaya Nayak

February 1, 2020

Nice article about locks


Nandita Gupta

February 1, 2020

Tell us the evolution of clothing.
It is also an interesting topic.
Please share with us…☺️☺️


Keerthana

February 1, 2020

Thank you to BYJUS to know about this for us


Rayan

January 31, 2020

You forgot to mention ancient locks in Indian temples and palaces….


vinushree c

January 31, 2020

Really a good thought.Along with studies these
are welcome. Looking forward for more such information.


Devanshi Das

January 31, 2020

I got to know a lot more about locks.I only knew about the locks that we have now in our generation.Thank you for sending this.I really liked everything about locks.


Poojha

January 31, 2020

Thank you byjus for showing us a history of lock really very intresting


Vihaan Malik

January 31, 2020

Very good I like the evaluation of locks.


Gauri Patil

January 31, 2020

Nice information about the locks from ancient times to uptil now. The modern lock i.e.fingerprint sensor and face un


Chirag

January 31, 2020

The new type of lock is voice lock


Harshit

January 31, 2020

Amazing


Seema

January 31, 2020

Thanks for this information ?.
Too much interesting.


JAY

January 31, 2020

Wow! What an amazing journey of locks.


Atri pathak

January 31, 2020

That’s amazing


Ranjith Kumar

January 31, 2020

Super I have lot message from this essay


Kshitij kumar

January 31, 2020

Interesting story


Hashika

January 31, 2020

Thanks for your information


Sakina dosiwala

January 31, 2020

Wowwww.. so lovely


Nirvaira

January 31, 2020

Woah………..?????????? what if she
Did lock her door study table it would be safe and sound
She could be very rich?????


Vaibhav Dattatray Borhade

January 31, 2020

Thank you so much for this information


Vaibhav Dattatray y

January 31, 2020

A great journey


Sindhura

January 31, 2020

Super


Atharva.Sambhaji.Shinde

January 31, 2020

I like it


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