No one knows for sure exactly when the first door was built, but it definitely wasn’t an entry door in Vallejo, CA. Though we don’t know when doors came about, we do know why. Someone in the past needed to temporarily block access to or from a given space. The earliest idea of a door appears to be more than 5,000 years old, and ancient doors have been unearthed all over the world, including Egyptian tombs with paintings depicting doors or sets of doors. Since ancient Egypt’s climate was dry, historians believe that these old doors were used to help cover the entrance to tombs to protect the mummies from drying up and melting away.   

entry door in Vallejo, CADoors evolved a lot from tomb entrances. As men grew, so did doors. Men had many uses for doors, including:  

  • To control physical access 
  • Used for ritualistic purposes 
  • To welcome ventilation or light
  •  Simple aesthetic or creative purposes 
  • Trap doors to hide things  
  • Doors that blend into a wall for security  
  • To keep animals inside or in a specific area 
  • Revolving doors for faster access 
  • To keep people imprisoned 

The earliest door design was very simple: pivots at the top and bottom of a hanging stile. The pivots were usually installed in sockets that were drilled into granite, basalt or other hard stone. Unlike modern doors that can open in all directions, thanks to technological advancements in design, these old doors were for the simplest in and out.   

There are a few notable doors in history. Many of which are located around Lake Zurich and date back to the time of Stonehenge. Swiss archeologists uncovered one of the oldest doors ever discovered on the European continent, dating back at least 5,000 years, around 3063 BC. This door is made of poplar wood, and has its hinges still intact. Historians speculate that it was part of a settlement of stilt houses, which grew in popularity about 1,000 years after animal husbandry and agriculture came to the region. These early doors were used to keep things out and in, but were also most likely designed to help protect inhabitants against the harsh cold and challenging environment.   

Archaeologist found a door similar to the one in Lake Zurich in Pfaeffikon, a nearby town. This door might be even older, though it has similar designs and construction. Scientists have unearthed remains of at least five Neolithic villages in the Alpine area, and are still finding more every year.   

Luckily, we’ve come a long way from the ancient doors of Egyptian tombs and Alpine villages. We have many different options when it comes to entry doors, and we don’t even have to build or install them ourselves. Rocket Door, located at 1639 E Monte Vista Avenue #L10 Vacaville, CA 95688, offers modern Vallejo, CA entry door services. Give us a call today at (707) 689-5147 for more information.