Locks & Keys

Welcome to another edition of The Pointless Post, where we bring you interesting tidbits and stories about topics that may not be entirely useful, but are certainly fascinating. This week, we dive into the world of keys and locks, and explore some useless knowledge related to this topic.

Did you know that the oldest known lock is over 4,000 years old? It was found in the ruins of the palace of Khorsabad in Iraq and is a simple wooden pin lock. On the other hand, the oldest known key dates back to 704 BC and was discovered in the ruins of the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud.

In medieval times, locksmiths were highly respected craftsmen, and their guilds were powerful organizations that controlled the standards of the trade. In fact, the word "smith" in locksmith refers to the shaping and forming of metal, not the forging of it, as in blacksmiths.

Have you ever wondered why keys have ridges and bumps on them? The unique pattern of ridges on a key is called a "bitting," and it corresponds to the specific pattern of pins inside the lock. The pins are pushed up by the key until the ridges and bumps match, allowing the lock to turn.

Did you know that the tumbler lock, which is still widely used today, was invented in 1778 by Robert Barron? He was an English inventor and mechanic who designed the lock based on the ancient Egyptian pin lock.

In Japan, there is a tradition of presenting a key-shaped charm, called a "kagi-mon," to celebrate the purchase of a new home. The charm is said to bring good luck and symbolizes the opening of new doors.

Finally, did you know that the oldest known combination lock was found in a Roman tomb near the ancient city of Pompeii? The lock dates back to the first century AD and uses a series of letters to create a code.

That's all for this week's edition of The Pointless Post. We hope you enjoyed these useless facts about keys and locks. Join us next time for more stories and news on topics that may not be entirely useful, but are certainly interesting!

Dominique