When Crocs Were Locks?!

Three weird and wonderful ways that lock security has changed over the millennia…

That’s right. It may seem an odd picture in today’s world of autolocks and high security safes, but many centuries ago in the princedoms of India, rumour has it that monarchs would secure their treasure by placing in the depths of a moat infested by a marauding pack of ravenous crocodiles! The crocs were kept constantly hungry, meaning treasure snatchers could only reach the submerged treasures if they drugged the animals or dared to engage them in a battle to the death.

And while we've moved from snapping beasts to anti-snap devices, locks have been made in all weird and wonderful shapes in the meantime.

In ancient Rome, the absence of the all-import pockets on garments of the time meant that key were worn on people’s fingers, becoming statements of fashion as well as security! 

And meanwhile in Nineveh (what is now modern day Iraq), archaeologists have uncovered how locks were in use over 4000 years ago! In the city, keys reached such enormous sizes that a slave was required to haul it round wherever the locked cargo went.

At least there was little chance of losing your keys…though at Lockforce, we may have to charge you more for making a copy!