Today it is difficult to imagine life without glasses - an optical device for improving vision or protecting the eyes from the sun. But 800 years ago no one knew about them, and then for several centuries only very wealthy people could afford glasses.
Preimages of the first glasses
The history of glasses dates back to ancient times. Archaeological excavations have repeatedly confirmed the fact that in Ancient Greece, Egypt and Rome, precious stones were used as an optical device to protect the eyes from the sun. On the island of Crete, for example, a unique rock crystal optical lens was discovered. Pieces of glass were placed on the surface of the text of the manuscript to enlarge the letters. They were not used for another purpose, since books and newspapers began to be published much later.
Making glasses for glasses
It is noteworthy that it was sunglasses that were first invented - in the 12th century, Chinese judges used smoky quartz plates so that no one could see the expression of their eyes during the trial. And only a century later, in Venice, they came up with a special thin and transparent glass, which they began to use to create glasses. The secret of the production of such glass was carefully guarded by the guild of Venetian artisans until the end of the 16th century.
The first glasses consisted of two monocles connected by a pin. They were placed on the nose and held there by friction in the pivot joint. A little later, the pin at the glasses was replaced with an elastic bow, which held the device much more firmly on the nose. However, such a fastening was not very convenient, so after a while they began to attach strings to the glasses, tied at the back of the head.
Mass production of glasses and invention of temples
From XIII to XVII, the production of glasses was expensive, so only very wealthy people could afford such a device. Since the 17th century, the production of glasses has become massive - even street vendors began to sell them. Naturally, this negatively affected the quality of the goods.
Until the 16th century, glasses were produced only for people suffering from farsightedness, then glasses with concave glasses for myopic people appeared.
In the 18th century, London optician Edward Scarlett added temples to the glasses, making them extremely comfortable. And in the second half of the 19th century, the production of glasses began to gain momentum. By the end of that century, glasses were becoming not only a necessary optical device, but also a fashion accessory, in which the emphasis was already placed on the frame of the product.
Glasses came to Russia only in the 17th century.
Today glasses are represented by a wide variety of models. They are used not only to protect from the sun or improve vision, but also to create a fashionable look. Modern technologies make it possible to create glasses from plastic, thin glasses even with high diopters, chameleon glasses and many other types of this optical device.
