[kj] btats inside cover

[iPat]

The basic umbrella was invented over four thousand years ago. We have
seen evidence of umbrellas in the ancient art and artifacts of Egypt,
Assyria, Greece, and China.

These ancient umbrellas or parasols, were first designed to provide
shade from the sun. The Chinese were the first to waterproof their
umbrellas for use as rain protection. They waxed and lacquered their
paper parasols in order to use them for rain.

The word "umbrella" comes from the Latin root word "umbra", meaning
shade or shadow. Starting in the 16th century umbrella became popular
to the western world, especially in the rainy weather of northern
Europe. At first it was considered only an accessory suitable for
women. Then the Persian traveler and writer, Jonas Hanway (1712-86),
carried and used an umbrella publicly in England for thirty years, and
he popularized umbrella use among men. English gentleman often
referred to their umbrellas as a "Hanway."

The first all umbrella shop was called "JamesSmith and Sons". The shop
opened in 1830, and is still located at 53 New Oxford St., in London,
England.

The early European umbrellas were made of wood or whalebone and
covered with alpaca or oiled canvas. The artisans made the curved
handles for the umbrellas out of hard woods like ebony, and were well
paid for their efforts.

On 5/13/05, peter.west410 <peter.west410 at ntlworld.com> wrote:
> If this is supposed to be ancient script,How come he mentions "umbrellas"?
>     Surely the umbrella is a modern day invention.
>  PW
> 


-- 
iPat
live for today, live for tomorrow
"Truth is a pathless land. Man cannot come to it through any
organisation, through any creed, through any dogma, priest or ritual,
nor through any philosophic knowledge or psychological technique. He
has to find it through the mirror of relationship, through the
understanding of the contents of his own mind, through observation and
not through intellectual analysis or introspective dissection..."