Technikatörténeti szemle 15. (1985)
TANULMÁNYOK - Gáspár Dorottya: Zár- és kulcstörténet
DOROTTYA GÁSPÁR: HISTORY OF LOCKS AND KEYS In this contribution I wrote about three question of scholars, who dealt with the history of keys. The first question — when was the first lock made — is unanswered. The scholars give different dates. Pitt-Rivers says that the first metal key can be dated to the year 1336. B. C.6 But the wooden locks and corresponding wooden or bone or horny keys are earlier. 7 . 8 . iO The Egyptian lock, whose design was found in Karnak consists of the lock case and the bar, which was moved by rops, is dated back to 2000. B. C. For opening this type of the lock you had to use both hands. The other type of the wooden locks could be opend by single one hand. H. Jacobi, who systematized the keys, replaced the long-sicle-, T-, and Z- shaped keys as the following stage. 12 These are the Temple Keys according to H. Diels. 16 They were carried on the shoulder by the Priestesses and they had symbolic significance. Opinion of Diels brougth a discussion (second question), whether these Temple Keys were really keys of only symbole. I think the are really keys with symbolic significance. The special Roman lock is the metal lock with metal sliding key. In the Roman time, however, there were other type of locks, too. These were the lock with turning key and the spring lock. The lock with sliding key means the bolt slides in the lock in a horizontal place and the key as well. The lock with turning key means the bolt slides in a horizontal place, but the key turns. The spring lock moved by springs and you can close it without key. The different types of the locks are reconstructed, exception of the lock with turning key. Although H. Diels made an attempt for its reconstruction but he failed. The third question is whether there was a lock before the Middle Ages at all, which could be opened from inside and from outside by the same key. M .v. Groller was, who circumscribed the conditions of opening from both sides, 25-27 and he could enumerate examples from the Roman period. Consequently this type of the lock existed as late as the Roman time.
