Famous Umbrellas Throughout History The umbrella, that bizarre
dome-shaped contraption, has spanned the world and centuries,
serving a variety of purposes. Believe it or not, the umbrella
has been around 3000 years, and served a wide variety of
purposes. It can be traced back to ancient Egypt, through the
Greek and Roman Empires, Chinese dynasties, India and Southeast
Asia, 17th century continental Europe to the modern-day U.K.,
U.S. and Australia, and has shielded man from rain, sun and
unwanted attention. It has served as embellishment, as in the
case of the cocktail umbrella and ladies’ parasol, and shelter
against monsoons, sleet and other slick conditions. Its image
has been used in advertising, such as the Morton Salt tin and
the MetLife campaign, and its meaning has been broadened to
describe corporate conglomerates. The umbrella was used as a
religious symbol in Egypt, symbolizing the vault of heaven over
the heads of kings and nobility. It is depicted in ancient
engravings as the flaellum, a gatherin