French parapluie, against the rain.
Latin, parasol, against the sun.
The oldest written reference to a collapsible umbrella dates to Ancient China and the year 21 AD, but pictorial records go all the way back to 18th entry BC Egypt. The expense of manufacture dictated that their use was reserved for the noble classes. Umbrellas once only for the very rich are now found at the local Walgreens for $2.00, lasting just about two dollars worth. You can still find a fancy designer umbrella signifying status, and if status holds significance for you, you can buy a Burberry plaid design for $350 or a Louis Vuitton vintage model for $1200. Today the cheapness of umbrellas accounts for us finding so many handles. On any blustery rainy day the streets of every city are littered with the skeletonized corpses of blown out umbrellas all on their way to the beach.
Finding Meaning in the Mess Badè Museum of Biblical Archaeology, Berkeley, CA
