Would you agree
to live indoors without glass windows? In the summer, during the campaign, to
set a tent or to make a tent of pine branches and fall asleep with a whisper of
the night forest!
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| Huts of Our Ancestors |
At first, a temporary
forest dwelling will seem cozier than any room. But constantly living in it is
not very convenient. It is necessary to warm it by winter, to protect it from
autumn rains and wind. And when all this is done, and you climb into it like a
bear into a den, it turns out that it is completely dark here! It’s impossible
to read even in the afternoon! One occupation remains: to sleep and sleep.
That is why,
when setting off on long hikes, geologists and travelers stock up on
well-equipped tents: here there are glass windows, light bulbs, and electric
heaters.
The huts of our
ancestors were completely different. In cold countries, they were built from
tree branches and animal skins, in warm countries from linen or logs, and later
from unbaked bricks. There were no windows, especially glass ones. The door
served both for exit and for lighting.
The Egyptians,
Assyrians, Babylonians, Indians, Phoenicians for many centuries built their
homes this way. Their temples and palaces were similar to the tents. Richly
decorated with colored tiles, stucco ornaments, images of gods and kings, these
windowless buildings still seemed blind and gloomy.
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| Modern Tent |
When and who
first came up with glazing windows? In India, the ancient legend of one palace
has survived, which equal in beauty and splendor was not in the world. The
light tall building was as if woven from pieces of colored stones. In its
windows, plates of transparent rock crystal shone rainbowly.
Perhaps
the Indians were really the first to build houses with glass windows. Maybe it
was they who thought to close the windows with something transmitting light.
But the first window frames with glasses were found not among them, but among
the Romans.
