History:
– Earliest recorded doors in Egyptian tombs
– Doors as single or double pieces of wood
– Doors in Egypt not framed against warping
– Framed doors with stiles and rails in other countries
– Materials used for ancient doors: timber, olive wood, elm, cedar, oak, cypress
Functionality:
– Primary purpose of a door is security and access control
– Doors made of materials suited to their tasks
– Various ways doors can move to allow or prevent ingress/egress
– Locking mechanisms and devices like knockers or doorbells
– Secondary functions of doors: privacy, separation of areas, light passage, ventilation, noise control, fire blocking
Symbolism:
– Doors can have aesthetic, symbolic, and ritualistic purposes
– Receiving a key to a door signifies a change in status
– Doors and doorways in literature and arts as metaphors for change
– Metaphorical or allegorical import of doors in arts and literature
– Symbolism of doors as a portent of change
Design:
– Doors can move by hinges, slides, or counterbalancing
– Interior of doors usually matches the exterior
– Some doors have radically different interior and exterior sides
– Materials for doors are chosen based on their function
– Different ways doors can move to allow or prevent access
Cultural Significance:
– Doors and doorways in literature and arts with metaphorical or allegorical import
– Symbolic meanings attached to doors in different cultures
– Doors as a representation of change or transition
– Cultural rituals or traditions involving doors
– Significance of doors in various cultural practices