Backpacks: Evolution and Development/Alizones.shop/Zoy Zoii
The Need for a Comfortable and Spacious Container: The History of the Backpack
The need for a comfortable and spacious container to carry many essential items probably arose among humans at the same time as the first objects appeared. Today, when we throw our backpack on our backs, we don't think about the fact that the first model of this wonderful backpack was invented more than five thousand years ago.
Since then, the structure has undergone significant changes, but the concept remains the same. The backpack is a bag worn on the back, secured with special straps to leave the hands free. Looking back, we can see the long and complex path the backpack has taken before finding its comfortable place on the back of modern man.
What Was the Stone Age Backpack Like?
The main material for the prehistoric backpack was animal skins, which, of course, could not have been preserved even partially for thousands of years. It can be assumed that, initially, a simple leather bag with attached ropes and straps to secure it more or less reliably to the back was used to transport goods. This bag allowed carrying simple objects, food supplies, or game, while keeping the hands free so that the person could hold weapons in case of defending himself from enemies or wild animals.
Knowing what the ancestor of the modern backpack looked like was possible thanks to an accident involving an inhabitant of the Tyrolean Alps more than 5,000 years ago. On the Similaun Alpine glacier, a German tourist couple discovered a traveler frozen in the ice in 1991 and called rescuers. Thanks to the mountain ice, the body of this person, known as Ötzi, was preserved in excellent condition, and archaeologists had a unique opportunity to study his clothing and belongings.
Among the objects found was a type of backpack consisting of a thin frame made of hazel branches, held together at the bottom by crossbars. A large fur bag with sewn-on leather straps was tied to the frame using knots. The frame distributed the weight of the load across the entire back, making it possible to travel with it for long periods without discomfort. Interestingly, this structure has survived almost unchanged. Alpine inhabitants still use backpacks with wooden frames, calling them "kraxe."
In the next post we will write the continuation of the article.
Networks social :
