The oldest known locking mechanism, serving the same purpose as modern locks, was discovered among the ancient ruins of the city of Nineveh. How did we go from such a complex and ingenious device—especially for its time—to the advanced security systems we use today?
According to some research, early locks weren’t primarily used to protect valuables—at least not among the general population. The Ancient Egyptians were already using keys and locks around 2000 BCE, but for most ordinary people, these were considered more of a status symbol.
These early locks—and later padlocks—were generally not effective for securing valuables, as they were easy to break open and their keys could be easily duplicated. The predecessor of the modern lock didn’t appear until the 1700s, and the familiar doorknob with a latch mechanism separate from the lock itself wasn’t invented until the 1860s. Since then, increasingly advanced solutions have emerged to help people keep their homes and valuables safe.
During the early days of primitive locks, more substantial wealth and valuables were protected by guards—and, in some cases, clever traps. While the latter might sound like something straight out of the movies, they were very much real.
Clever traps that would leave Indiana Jones and Lara Croft staring in awe
For example, near the site of the 8,000-strong Terracotta Army lies the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor—according to archaeologists. It was protected against intruders by formidable, nearly impenetrable stone walls and even rivers of toxic mercury.
Of course, beyond having guards, the most common method of protection was simply hiding the treasures and valuables well. People even went as far as building labyrinths for this purpose—though more often, the wealthy buried their possessions or hid them in secret rooms built specifically for concealment.
Compared to that—where does the world stand today?
Fortunately, we no longer need rivers of toxic mercury or walls rigged with arrow-firing traps—and in most cases, there’s no need for heavily armed guards either. Instead, we can now build sophisticated, integrated systems that not only protect valuables and ensure security but also monitor employees and visitors, while offering peace of mind to tenants in our office buildings.
In many cases, access control systems don’t even require human resources—or entry and exit can be managed by just a single staff member.
Anteus Kft. has been helping clients design secure, comprehensive access control systems for 20 years. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us, by clicking here.
