немножко из истории зонтика

[jayrandom]

When an umbrella is mentioned in conversation today, it is widely recognised that you refer to a device whose function it is to keep you dry in the rain. Not many people realise that the original function of the umbrella was to provide shade from the Sun. The word umbrella is derived from the Latin word ‘umbra’ meaning ‘shade’ and the word ‘parasol’ appears to be derived from two French words, ‘parare’ meaning to ‘shield’ and ‘sol’ meaning the ‘Sun’. Although both the umbrella and parasol started out as devices to protest you from the Sun, only the parasol has maintained its original functionality.

References to the usage of both the umbrella and parasol can be found in art and literature throughout ancient Africa, Asia and Europe. A good example of this would be the Egyptian goddess Nut who is reported to have shielded the Earth like a giant umbrella, protecting humanity from heavenly elements.

The history of the umbrella stretches all the way back to the Egyptians and Mesopotamians who constructed the original device from palm fronds and feathers would you believe? Later, they used stretched papyrus for the canopy creating a device that resembles the umbrella that you see today.

Wealthy Greek and Roman women carried the ‘Sun umbrella’ as an accessory about 2,000 years ago. It was so identified as a woman’s object, that if a man carried or used one, he would be laughed at. The women soon realised that if they oiled their ‘Sun umbrella’ which was made from paper, that it protected them in the rain. Out of interest, there is a recorded lawsuit dating back to these times over whether a particular woman should be allowed to open her umbrella within the ampitheater because it was claimed that she was blocking the view of those people behind her…needless to say, the woman won!

Nowadays it is common for men to carry an umbrella and this is mainly accredited to the efforts of two individuals. Jonas Hanway in 1750 and later John MacDonald in 1778 both braved ridicule and insisted on carrying the umbrella wherever they went, thereafter making it an acceptable and common accessory for men.

The umbrella slowly became more popular and widely regarded as a Gentleman’s accessory. By the nineteenth century, wealthy gentlemen in England would carry an umbrella with specially designed handles that would hide a flask, small dagger or other object and by the mid-twentieth century, a gentleman was considered improperly attired if he was not carrying a hat, gloves and umbrella.

-- утащено отсюда.