By Jacquie Foote One thing sure, in Geaugas early days,…
By Jacquie Foote One thing sure, in Geaugas early days, youd rarely see a woman at work caring for home and family without an apron.…
By Jacquie Foote
One thing sure, in Geaugas early days, youd rarely see a woman at work caring for home and family without an apron. They were essentially a practical item, used to protect clothing from daily chores and this was very important back then as clothing was not as plentiful as now and washing was a chore.
And, women werent the only ones to wear them. It is only in the last two centuries that aprons have come to be associated with women and “woman’s work.” Many men have worn aprons in years past as they too needed to protect their clothing from the grime of work. (In fact, men still do.)
So … lets go to the beginning. An apron is an outer protective garment that covers primarily the front of the body. No one knows when aprons were “invented” … or where. Perhaps it was a very long time ago. When the Bible tells of Adam and Eve stitching together leaves to cover themselves, they were in fact creating the first aprons in history. In fact, some translations refer to this garment as an apron.
As time went on, aprons evolved into a practical way of shielding one’s body from many things as well as a way of shielding clothing from grime and destruction. Heavier aprons made from leather, canvas and other thick materials were worn by craftsmen who worked with sharp implements or hot objects. These apron wearers included butchers, glassmakers, blacksmiths or farriers and, in time, welders. In fact, many craftsmen who work in these industries today still wear an apron to protect their clothing as well as their fragile bodies from the dangers of their workshops.
These days, aprons can be made from a variety of materials. Rubber aprons are commonly used by persons working with dangerous chemicals, and lead aprons are commonly worn by persons such as X-ray technicians who work near radiation. Aprons, such as those used by carpenters, may have many pockets to hold tools. Waterproof household aprons, made of oilcloth or even PVC, are suitable for cooking and washing dishes.
But … back to the beginning again: According to wall paintings in Egyptian temples, aprons have been used in religious rites since ancient times, especially when burnt offerings and blood sacrifices of various animals were involved. In China, some of the ancient figures of the gods wear semicircular aprons, very similar to some Scottish aprons. In Central America, the ancient gods are constantly sculpted wearing aprons.
In fact, examples of ancient gods wearing aprons can be found spread over the four quarters of the globe. The earliest ceremonial apron known to have been used in Palestine was introduced by the Canaan Priest-King Melchizedek. Dating to around 2200 BC, the Melchizedek Priesthood began to make its ceremonial aprons out of white lambskin. (White lambskin was eventually adopted by the Freemasons who have used it for their aprons ever since.)
For information on the events at the Geauga County Historical Society’s Century Village Museum, call 440-834-1492 or visit www.geaugahistorical.org.
