Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 190, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1917 — Locks In Ancient Days. [ARTICLE]

Locks In Ancient Days.

The Greeks used an iron latch to fasten their doors. This latch was fastened by a key which was easily applied from within, but, to reach it from without, a large hole was made in the door allowing the hand to enter and reach the lock with the key. The Lacedaemonian lock, which was a later invention, did not require a hole to be made in the door, but consisted of a bolt placed on that side of the entrance door which opened. When a person outside wished to enter he inserted a key in a little hoi? and raised the bolt. In time this kind of fastening was Improved by the Insertion of the bolt in an iron frame or rim permanently attached to the door by a chain. Heavy and intricate iron locks discovered at Pompeii give evidence of the progress made in the art by the Rpmans. These locks were much mote efficient than any known to the Greeks, but Inferior in principle to the older wooden Egyptian locks.