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Secrets of the Umbrella, a History in Fashion and Design

Early Centuries - Ancient History

In early ancient Egypt history people only certain textiles, precious metals, and materials were available to people.  Available textiles included linen, sheep’s wool, goat hair, palm fiber, cotton, silk. Copper, gold, silver, bronze, tin, and iron were the primary metals and other materials consisted of ostrich feathers and wood. Use your imagination and think about the clothing  and accessories that were used during  ancient history and consider how these items could have been used to create and design devices such as the umbrellas of their time.
 
One of the earliest surviving "umbrellas" includes an ancient Egyptian fan discovered in the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, West Thebes. It is now located in Cairo at the Egyptian Museum. The fan was located between the two innermost shrines. It is made out of wood and is covered in sheet gold. Pharaoh Tutankhamun hunted ostriches in the desert near Helioipos and provided the thirty white and brown feathers that were fitted in this fan.

Tutankhamun Fan

The earliest umbrellas origninated in ancient Egypt, over four thousand years ago to around 1000-2450 B.C.E.  

Rather than an article of fashion, the umbrella was first an item of religious and ceremonial regalia. The umbrella constituted a privilege accorded only to royalty. During Ancient Egypt times, the umbrella would be called a Fan with intricate designs that were held over the most distinguished noble’s. Only royalty could use a fan, which would often be covered in intricate designs and both shaded the individual and demonstrated thier status. In ancient Egyptian texts a hieroglyph in the shape of a fan also denoted sovereignty, further demonstrating its signifcance as an object denoting status. The umbrella was used to both shade and honor a sovereign, is depicted on Egyptian sculptures of the eleventh century BC. It was a king’s privilege to have it carried over his head and it was usually during ceremonial processions.   

Below is an image of an engraving from a wall in Egypt that is located in the Hatshepsut temple. It depicts an Egyptian fan bearer.                                      

Egyptian holding a fan

The items below is a portable shrine is from India and it dates back to the seventh and eighth century. In the center is Buddha. Surrounding Buddha are umbrella and flywhisk bearers. Flying above Budda are celebrants with garlands. Gautama Buddha means "Awakened One", he was a teacher and is considered the founder of Buddhism. 

The Descent of the Buddha from Trayastrimsha Heaven

Chinese chariot

 

Ancient Asia and China made use of the umbrellas and parasols and were used as protection from the both the sun and the rain, but this practice was also confined only to the upper classes.

Ancient Chinese chariots were made of wood, had two wheels, and were drawn by two or four horses. Imperial carriages were outfitted with numerous umbrellas, serving practice and ceremonial purposes. The ancient Chinese are also credited for having the earliest recorded use of collapsible parasols. The image to your right is a brick from the Han dynasty, it comes from a Han tomb. If you look closely, the driver of the chariot has an umbrella over his head which, for during this time period, denotes that he is a noble man. 

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