Knives are one of the oldest and most useful human tools. Our ancestors used sharp stones or wood pieces to do what knives today do. They were used to cut, prick and carve and stood as a symbol of bravery. With the invention of metal, there was an evolution of the most used human tool, knife. As civilization advanced, various types of metals used in making knives (through the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age) emerged.
In prehistoric times flints were used to make knives. Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline silicate form of the mineral quartz. As time and invention advanced with the discovery of fire and annealing in metallurgy, the art of melting metals came and men molded metals for knives. Initially knives were made of bronze and iron. Later, knife making advanced and knives with metal alloys and combination of metals were produced - now, these have to stainless steel knives.
Early men used the knives as weapons, tools, and utensils for eating. Historically, knives were decorated with feathers. People took pride in possessing a sharp and beautiful knife. Later gold and silver designs were embedded in the knives. Some knives were exclusively meant for men and some for women; some were made for use by both sexes.
Jeweled metal knives were a proud possession of warriors. Traditionally, people carried their own knives in special sheaths attached to their belts. Such knives were narrow with sharp edges and were used to pierce food and raise food to one's mouth. Even to this day, the Gurkha people still practice carrying their knives anywhere and everywhere. The knife is a symbol of the Gurkha; it has religious significance, too.
As time evolved, knives were adopted to be used in the kitchen and at the dining tables; however, they retained their use as weapons and in the war field in the form of swords. Many of the native Indian idols of gods are symbolized holding various types of knives as weapons; this proves that knives are a prominent weapon in ancient Indian history. There is no historical account that does not mention the glory of the warrior's sword.
In all the cultures of the world, every authoritative head of any kingdom possessed a knife as a mark of bravery. The swords that declared victory in a battle were adorned and handed over to the legal heir. The sword as a knife is a legendary symbol of victory and a matter of pride to be possessed and exhibited.
Every king had a separate category of employers to maintain the knives that were used in the war. With the advancement of technology and the discovery of guns, however, the knife lost its place in battle fields. Nowadays, knives have evolved to serve domestic duties instead.
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