The History of Signs

0 Comments | Rating: 0

A fundamental element in commerce, industry, and trade, signs have existed as far back as the ancient world. While we may not see signs as a fundamental part of cultural development, one only needs consider where we would be today without signs. Every commercial activity is marked with a sign. Whether for advertising, or merely marking the location of a business, signs are and will always be a core element in the world of trade and commerce.

Believed to be rooted in the cave paintings from the Paleolithic Age, the symbolism of signs is an important form of communication. It is thought that these cave drawings are the earliest form of symbolism that eventually became company logos. As time went on, other forms of advertising were born. From the town crier to signs to mark fixed locations for trade, signs experienced a great amount of evolution through the years.

In the 18^th Century, as trade increased, sign regulations were created to protect the public from low-hanging signs on narrow streets. Perhaps the most well known of all early signs was the Pub sign. These were first used as required by the King when he passed an ordinance in England that mandated all alehouses post a sign. The signs became more and more unusual over time, and can still be seen in modern pubs all over the world.

As the modern age approached, sign making inevitably changed. With the advent of electric signs, the signing industry became even more lucrative. Business owners all over sought out the newest form of advertising in the form of an easy to see illuminated sign to mark their storefront. Once neon emerged as the latest in signing, the public was inundated with bright-colored signs. Today, versatile LED message boards are common signs. Offering the ability to change messages and advertise a variety of specials, the LED message board is among the most popular today. It's hard to believe how far the art of sign making has come since the very beginning, but with signs marking just about every commercial establishment there's no doubt the sign business is here to stay.