History of Walking Sticks

There is a very long history of walking sticks in humanyou will see all different sorts of aids used throughout
civilizations. Probably the first time anybody ever usedhistory.
a cane was back in the depths of pre-history, whenCurrently, most people think of walking sticks as akin
hunter/gatherer tribes wandered the landscape,to what we know as Irish English walking sticks. These
searching for food and shelter. They could wander forspecific sorts gained popularity in the fifteenth
hundreds of miles in any given year, and that muchcenturies, and were used primarily as weapons. They
walking would be hard on a human body-they wouldare made from heavy, knotty wood-the heavier and
have surely discovered that using a thick, heavy stickknottier the better! Ash, cherry, chestnut, and the like
to hold the weight relieves pressure on muscles,are all different types of wood used for walking sticks.
especially in the back and the legs. Walking sticks mayNow they are used less often as weapons, though
have morphed through the centuries that followed, tothey are very good for use in self defense when
include large staffs, or herding rods, or any otherhiking in the wild.
number of things like canes. That's because, regardlessThe most recent history of walking aids includes the
of the context or the material available, large pieces ofintroduction of mass produced sticks. While
wood used for walking were clearly a good idea forhandcrafted walking sticks are still available through
people. These sticks are often multi-functional, fulfilling adifferent stores and online vendors, they are most
wide variety of purposes and uses, even though theycommonly available at cheaper prices because they
remain true to their original intention. A cane can herdare mass-produced instead of painstakingly crafted by
animals. It can help ford rivers. It can be an item used inhand.
self-defense. The possibilities are wide, and that's why