Traditional Uses of Shades

• The use of awnings for shade dates back thousands of years. John Burke/Creatas/Getty Images

  The use of shades dates back to Biblical times and beyond. From the time the first human held up a hand to shield his eyes from the sun, the concept of man-made shades has evolved to give them use both as protective devices and as a means of privacy. Some early, traditional uses of shades can be seen in the traditions of ancient Rome and the Chinese dynasties.

Protection

• One traditional use of shades is in the form of awnings. Made from cloth, canvas or other lightweight, opaque material, awnings have been used since the time of the classic civilizations of Rome and Greece. They are attached above the facade of another structure, such as a small shop or stand, and used to protect patrons and merchandise from weather and the sun. An awning may help to keep produce cool on a sunny day. It may also keep products dry in the rain, or shield patrons' eyes from the bright light of midday sunshine.

Early Window Shades

• Shades were also developed as damp cloths hung in the windows of ancient Rome. These cloths were used to prevent excessive amounts of dust and other particulates from entering homes through the windows. Shades became widely used during this period due to construction within the city, as well as dust kicked up into the air from dirt roads. This use of shades also minimized the amount of heat that entered the home through windows, and served as a means of keeping cool during warmer months.

Shades as Decor

• In time, Romans began to adopt more ornate cloth to cover their windows. The simple, damp cloths were replaced by dyed hangings with decorative trim. As the practice of using window shades continued to evolve, they became as much a symbol of prosperity and style as they were a tool for keeping the home cool and clean.

Privacy

• Many cultures also adopted shades as means of privacy. In addition to the privacy from outside that window shades provided, changing shades also began to see use indoors. In buildings with few separate indoor rooms, a standing shade structure could be placed in one part of a room to provide an individual with privacy for changing clothes or bathing. As with window shades, these too became more ornate and stylized as their use evolved.

Eye Shades

• The predecessor to modern sunglasses was also originally developed for privacy, rather than eye protection. Ancient Chinese judges donned glasses that were tinted with smoke in order to hide their eyes and help to conceal their reactions while in court. While these early sunglasses did protect the eyes from bright sunlight, this feature was not initially considered a primary benefit of wearing tinted glasses.