01 January 2009

Ancient Celtic treasure includes... scissors

A Celtic village has been discovered in Poland, dating from the 3rd century B.C.
The Celts migrated out of the Krakow area probably around the 2nd to the 1st century BC, likely joining a great Germanic migration that took place at that time. They left behind pieces of bracelets and glass beads imported from other Celtic tribes living in the south, as well as iron tools - among which was one of the oldest pair of scissors.
It's curious how one reflexly thinks of scissors as a "modern" invention, but in fact they do date back to pre-Christian times. Those earliest contrivances were "spring scissors" like the one pictured here, not the "pivoted" scissors we use today.

Before we leave the subject, one bit of language trivia; each blade of a scissors is a "scissor." That's why we refer to a "pair of scissors."

(image credit here. This is a modern reproduction, not the scissors found in Poland)

1 comment:

  1. what are those sharp teeth called?
    in-cisors (sissor) pair of scissors
    it all seems so clear now

    ReplyDelete

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