Wood is the most popular material throughout history up to the modern era. Of course, they create beautiful and creative objects. Yet, did you once think about how these woodworks evolved? Indeed, the carpentry industry itself holds a proud history. Still, most of us would not discover its grandeur. But let us remind you that the history of carpentry is worth exploring. It holds that much of delight and fascination. So, why not? Let us explore the amazing history of carpentry together.
First, let us have a quick glance through the ancient world. There are a few nations that prove the splendor of woodworking. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Chinese prove it greatly. Further, many other ancient civilizations throughout the world have woodworking evidence of the past. They manifest that they have used many different styles and techniques in woodworking. This simply shows us how amazing the carpentry industry has been back then.
For years, people used primitive weapons for defense and hunting purposes while some other simple tools for building their shelters. Amazing thing is that, at the Kalambo Falls on the Kalambo River, which is on the border of Zambia and Tanzania, archeologists have found an ancient wooden club and digging sticks which belong to a very old civilization.
After years man gradually became developed with his woodworking skills and he got better at killing animals for food, building boats, using axes to clear lands and grow crops etc. Therefore we can clearly understand that the woodworking process directly caused the advancement of civilizations.
Here you can get a clear idea about the woodworking process from ancient times to the middle ages by having a look at more prominent civilizations that existed in the world. So, let us explore them from the scratch, for a better overview.
What is carpentry?
Carpentry is considered the art and trade of designing timber. In the present, it covers a wide range of woodworking. Thus, it includes many types of carpentry jobs.
The Gods of Carpentry
Throughout the history of carpentry, man has kept beliefs in gods that explained the events from before time, tribal traditions, and bonds. There are many gods that are related to carpentry. We hope that you are ready to have a look at some of them. Here we go!
- Enki – Summaria
- Ptah – Egypt
- Athena – Greece
- Minerva – Roman
- Kothar u Khasis – Canaan
- Marunogere – New Guinea
- Mushdamma – Mesopotamia
- Nang Lha – Tibet
- Solang – Micronesian
- Xochiquetzal – Aztec
- Hastsehogan – Navajo
- Lugh – Celtic
- Lu-Pan – China
- Vishwakarma – India
- Kulla – Babylon
- Taoki-Ho-Oi-No-Kami – Japan
- Belisama – Gaul
- Dian Cecht – Irish
Golden Milestones of the History of Carpentry
The evolution of carpentry goes back to more than 2 million years. Little by little it came to the stage where it exists now through passing various different stages. So, now we are ready to take you through these golden milestones of carpentry. Here we start our journey!
1. Prehistoric stage of Carpentry
Before 2.4 million years ago Hunter-gather human ancestors started their stone tool technology with axes and hammers in Central Africa. In order to have a look at the specialization of tools they migrated to Europe and became more refined. There, little by little Neanderthal man turned into modern Homo Sapiens. In the Neolithic age, men started to settle in villages and started growing crops and temporary stone circles became their homes. This happened 10,000 years ago. That marked the beginning of a great civilization of tool improvement at an accelerated rate.
In the early stages, development in carpentry was a little bit slower. But during the Upper Paleolithic, there was a genetic mutation and this caused a triggered change in the way of thinking in Homo Sapiens. With the arrival of carpenters, the development of a number of amazing tools happened. Those tools were made by using flint and it allowed them to work on wood easily. This led to building homes and farming works. After settling down in villages they improved their math skills to keep track of livestock. Also, they started to write symbols in clay for the purpose of bartering.
We all know that wood is one of the oldest building materials that mankind used. The ability to shape wood easily caused a huge improvement in technology from the stone age to the bronze age. Later the bronze age developed into the iron age too. Water well casings built using split oak timbers with tenon and mortise having notched corners found from eastern Germany is a valuable fact for the oldest archaeological evidence of carpentry. So we can believe that they are nearly 7,000 years old and belong to the early Neolithic period.
2. The Ancient Egyptian History of Carpentry
The Egyptian history of carpentry runs back to 5000 years. In this era, many methods and tools were found and it led to producing carpenters up to the craftsmen we would recognize today. Before 7000 years ago the climatic change in the Egyptian zone turned most into deserts. Only the areas along the Nile river were good for farming and Sumerians continued farming there.
They used tools which finished using copper. But they were as hard as soft modern steel. ‘Adze’ design was popular for centuries. In order to make quite ornate pieces, carpenters used chisels, mallets, basic hammers, and bow drills widely.
During that time carpenters were well recognized and respected in their communities. They had large projects and specialized workshops and some of the carpenters worked on them. Most of the people had a home at that time, which have now become different in architectural designs and more comfortable.
3. The History of Carpentry in Greece
The history of Greek carpentry goes back to more than 3000 years. They mainly focused on the natural balance and symmetry of the human body. Greeks produced an artistic harmony with the beginning of sciences and advances in applied physics and mathematics.
There were many different classes in the carpentry profession like master carpenters and lower classes of poor freemen carpenters who were popular as ‘Thetes’. Some of the carpenters were recognized as slaves. Important private buildings and most of the public buildings were erected on a contract basis.
The most surprising thing is that the homes which began to build in simple houses developed till monumental temples and well planned historical cities. The open courtyard design which was copied by the upper class Romans was an interesting development that took place in the Greek history of carpentry.
4. The Roman History of Carpentry
The Roman history of carpentry goes back to nearly 2500 years. Romans created world-famous massive building projects with the help of Egyptian and Greek techniques in the advancements of their construction fields. Those excellent craftsmen who came out in this period carried the technology of monumental construction to future generations.
For about 200 years Rome lasted as a Kingdom and 500 years as a Republic. Also, it was an empire for another 500 years. The enormous steps in construction techniques taken by Roman carpenters still remain unequaled for more than two thousand five hundred years. During this period, the advancements in concrete and the arch was mostly highlighted.
5. The History of Carpentry in Medieval Period
The History of Medieval carpentry goes back to nearly 1500 years. The Medieval period is the time period between the decline of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance. It has three basic stages such as Early Medieval Period, High Medieval Period and Late Medieval Period.
Before 1,500 years ago the decline of the Roman Empire happened and it brought to the Early Middle Ages. In the first 300 years, advances in carpentry and engineering fields highly declined. Some of the great libraries like Alexandria burned and education collapsed greatly. Because of this illiteracy rose among the leadership. But under the revolutionary reforms of Charlemagne, who was the King of the Franks the craftsmanship of carpentry changed.
Ancient Tools Used Throughout the History of Carpentry
We consider the tools as the windows that allow us to the great civilizations that created them. Obviously, when a society needs and uses more tools, we can easily identify that they have done with more wooden objects. Here you can go through some interesting list of tools and get an idea on how tools came to its present developed stage with the time.
1. Axes and Adzes
These are among the very first tools that were created in the history of carpentry. People used the axe to fell down trees while adze to dress timber, which has a turned blade of 90 degrees. The Minoan civilization was able to create the double-headed axe, which is the combination of axe and adze. Because of this axe-adze was more popular among Romans.
Modern Axes
2. The Hand Saw
Egyptians have used the hand saw since 1500 B.C. The hand saw used in this era was about 20 inches long and it had a broad blade. Also, it had curved wooden handles and irregular metal teeth on the blade. They used copper to finish the blades.
The Romans improved the handsaws in a few different ways. They replaced copper with iron for the blades in order to make them stiffer. Also, they set the teeth of the saw to project alternately right and left and allowed the saw to cut somewhat wider than the blade. This allowed a smoother movement.
At the same time Romans also invented stiffened backsaw and frame saw. The narrow blade used in the frame saw helped to keep taut by tightening a chord. This principle of the frame saw we can still see in the modern hacksaw.
Modern Hand Saws
3. The Carpenter’s Square, the Plumb Line and the Chalk Line
Ancient Egyptians developed tools like the Carpenter’s Square, the Plumb Line, and the Chalk Line and roman builders got the maximum advantage of them. Instead of nails, Egyptian woodworkers used wooden pegs and they used bow drills to make holes.
Modern Squares and Chalk Line
4. The Auger
As bow drill was not much effective and wastes energy, it was not suitable for heavy drilling. In order to overcome this, Romans found a new better tool called the Auger. There is a short wooden cross-handle in the auger and it is attached to a steel shaft. There is a spoon-shaped tip in the steel shaft. Through this woodworker can easily apply heavy downward pressure and great rotational force.
In the middle ages carpenters created a breast auger. The purpose of this was to drill deep holes in timbers of ships.
Modern Augers
5. Forged Iron Nails
The wooden pegs invented by Egyptians came up with modifications with the creation of forged iron nails by Romans.
Modern Iron Nails
6. The Claw Hammer
This was one of the wonderful and popular creations of Romans because this was a dual-purpose tool.
Other than the above mentioned tools Romans invented the rule, the smooth plane and many other different types of planes. Once a historian has delivered that wood plane can be considered as the most important advancement in the history of woodworking tools.
Modern Hammers
Importance of Wood in Carpentry throughout the History
The great forests blanketed throughout the world supplied with the valuable and plentiful resource of wood for thousands of years. It was easy to work with wood because it was easier to shape. It forced artisans to use wood in different creative ways. They built houses, furniture, vehicles, boats, religious places like temples, coffins, and even weapons and siege devices from wood. Also, they sculpted unbelievable statues and many other world-famous decorative things by using wood.
With the time when the civilizations got advanced, mankind replaced the old tools with many new modern tools.
Another thing is that there are many reasons why countless wooden creations from centuries vanished with time. Not having a proper way to monitor the moisture content of a piece of wood is one of the major reasons.
Carpentry is Still an Important Skilled Trade Today
Now, the carpentry job market is at a good standard thanks to its wonderful history. Several other aspects, such as mathematics and science, have also shaped its journey towards better. However, will all these influences, its tools have developed with amazing features. Further, today carpenters have touched many parts of the fields through different types of carpentry jobs. They are able to work both indoors and outdoors on many different projects. They are able to create a safe work environment. Moreover, they are able to use a variety of tools of various brands, ranging from budget carpentry tools up to power tools to cut and shape wood, fiberglass, plastic, and many other materials. Carpenters use nails, screws, staples, and many different adhesives to fasten these materials. The result is something really wonderful and useful than just a piece of wood.
The history of carpentry is nothing but an interesting story of a constantly evolving and improving trade. Since the very beginning part of woodcutting, carpenters have played a prominent role in building the world’s most amazing infrastructure. Although technology will continue to change, the art of carpentry will be continued as one of the most vital of the skilled trades in the world.
The Bottom Line
Hope this article provided you a good overview of the history of carpentry and its journey so far. And why not? The history of carpentry is an interesting tale that reveals many secrets of ancient civilizations. At present carpentry has spread over many fields with different types of carpentry jobs. You can get to know further details about carpentry jobs, how to join them, their salaries, injuries, and hazards, and many other essentials related to carpentry jobs at the world carpentry events. So having knowledge about the history of carpentry and its journey so far, enjoy this really wonderful carpentry job. Happy Woodworking!
