The natural element that gave people an impetus to writing and drawing (8 photos)

Quite often, useful things are the result not of long, scrupulous work, but of a random combination of circumstances. By pure chance, this item appeared, which we use, if not every day, then very often.





At different stages of historical development, people tried to record images and thoughts with the help of available materials, starting with scratching primitive images on a stone surface.

The ancient Greeks applied images to parchment using tin disks. And in the Middle Ages, painters created using rods made from a mixture of tin and zinc.



The turning point in history was a not very pleasant, but quite ordinary event. In the middle of the 16th century, a strong storm broke out over the English county of Cumberland. Many giant trees could not withstand this battle with the elements and fell. And in the holes under their roots, local shepherds discovered a strange substance. It looks like coal, but not quite the same. Craftsmen tried to melt down the find, but the idea was not crowned with success. But the substance stained hands and any other surfaces. Very easy.





Graphite

And in the Borrowdale valley they organized the extraction of “drawing tin,” as the find was simply and succinctly called. By the way, the first testers were the same shepherds. They used pebbles to mark their livestock so as not to confuse the sheep and calves with their neighbors' farm animals.



Merchants began to mark the names, weights, and prices of product packages with a paint brush. Everyone involved in the painting in one way or another appreciated the find. And the kids were especially happy, because with this thing they could paint anything, anywhere. True, the palms got pretty dirty, but in the Middle Ages they didn’t think much about the cleanliness of the nails. But, apparently, someone’s bright mind finally came up with the idea of ​​making a wooden shell. To whom and when is no longer known due to the passage of years. More precisely, centuries, because in fact more than 450 years have passed since the invention of the pencil.



And then crime and arbitrariness began. After all, the residents of the county have actually become a monopoly in the production and sale of graphite. And the prices were outrageous - about 16 pounds per kilogram. Therefore, dashing people resorted to robbery and robbery - the desire to get hold of “silver lead” was so great. The robbers did not hesitate to attack the convoys. And one day they completely occupied the mines and did not let the locals in until the London military arrived at the mine.



Abraham Gottlob Werner

The British remained a monopoly for quite a long time. The situation changed only when graphite deposits were discovered on the continent. The name was invented in 1789 by geologist Abraham Gottlob Werner, forming the word from the ancient Greek “γράφω” - “I write.”



Joseph Hardtmuth

The first attempts to reduce the cost of pencils by mixing them with other components were unsuccessful. The breakthrough was the idea of ​​a Czech architect. Joseph Hardtmuth combined powdered graphite with soot, starch and clay and fired the mixture in a kiln. By changing the proportions, he learned to make pencils of varying degrees of hardness.



He patented his invention, and the Koh-i-Noor Hardtmuth brand still exists today. Artists and everyone who uses pencils in work or hobby know well that Koh-i-Noor is a guaranteed standard of quality.