Handbags were an integral female accessory 12,000 years ago. Scientists have made an unexpected discovery
Handbags were a must-have female accessory as far back as 12,000 years ago. Researchers have discovered ancient wall carvings depicting square objects with short semicircular handles that resemble modern ladies' accessories.
Scientists assume that handbags were among women's items long before makeup, perfume, and even hair combs. Some scientists argue that the idea of a handbag could have been created by ancient civilizations, writes DailyMail.
Assyrian relief of a sacred tree surrounded by two winged genies with handbags.
Source: Getty
The earliest images of something that looks like a handbag were discovered in Turkey among the ruins of Gobekli Tepe. This is an ancient megalithic temple that had large stone pillars engraved with images of animals and handbags.
Many interesting images were found among the ruins of Gobekli Tepe
Source: DailyMail
Göbekli Tepe was built in 9000 BC with large T-shaped stone pillars arranged in a circle that were used for public events and rituals. Some of the images in the temple look like clothing, belts, loincloths, and handbags. Although experts don't know exactly what these motifs mean, they have suggested that ancient people saw the pattern in connection with space. For example, the square "bag" could mean the Earth, and the connected circle was a symbol of spirituality. After all, ancient texts have shown that past civilizations considered the Earth to be flat, so perhaps they depicted it as a square in their art. However, some researchers argue that this design was a connection between our planet and the sky.
The oldest images were discovered in Turkey among the ruins of Gobekli Tepe.
Source: DailyMail
Archaeologists have found similar drawings in Mexico, Iraq, and some parts of South America. Here, scientists have even more questions about the meaning of the motif, i.e. how ancient civilizations imagined the same object. The images found are almost identical to modern wallets or small handbags. But some researchers see baskets in those drawings.
The same motif was also found in Tula among the ruins created by the Toltecs.
Source: DailyMail
Huge stone statues found in the ancient Toltec capital of Tula, Mexico, also show figures clutching a handbag to their side. These monumental monuments were created in 750 AD.
A group of five-meter-high stone statues that once supported the roof of a temple in Tula.
Source: Wikipedia
Another early example of the clutch was found in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics made about 5000 years ago. They depict gods carrying a small square purse symbolizing prosperity.
Archaeologists have made similar discoveries in Iraq. Huge rock slabs found among the ruins of an Assyrian palace built between 883 and 859 BC depicted a genie with wings carrying a purse. Many experts agree that the accessory was created to carry the magic potion that the genie splashed around the halls.
A genie with large feathery wings holding either a handbag or a bucket.
Source: DailyMail
"They carry what people call handbags, but they are actually buckets. They are buckets for carrying water from the sacred date palms," said historian Dr. David Miano.
Fragment of a relief from the palace of the Assyrian king Sargon II, 722-705 BC.
Source: Getty
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