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鎖具的生成
，與材料、工具、
及文化有密切的關連；觀察鎖
具在歷代的發展與使用，可反
映出當時的工藝技術、社會文
化、及經濟發展。
最初，過著穴居生活的原
始人類，為了防範野獸的侵襲
與保護物品，會利用重石來擋
住洞口，這可說是最早、最直
接的原始安全裝置。
隨著材料之演進及用具的
發展，安全裝置的種類與功能
逐漸增加與提升。有了繩索之
後，先民為了保護貴重財物，
常以精巧牢靠的繩結繫緊，並
設計出名為觿的獸牙來解開繩
結；廣義言之，「繩結」可說
是古中國最早的鎖具，而「觿」
則可說是古中國最早的鑰匙。
當時亦有些鎖具的設計，並無
開關的功能，而是將其外觀做
成兇惡的動物形狀，如老虎，
藉以防阻小偷，是一種象徵性
的嚇人鎖具。
The history of locks is in close
association with the materials,
tools,
and cultural background of a specific
time. And, the development and
applications of locks in the past
reflected the technological, cultural,
and economical situations of each
period in the history.
Primitive human beings that
lived in caves learned to block the
cave openings with heavy rocks
to protect themselves and their
belongings from the attack of beasts.
This could very well be the earliest
and the most direct primitive device
for security.
With the advancement and
development of new materials and
tools, the types of security devices
gradually increased and the functions
upgraded. The Chinese ancestors
tied knots with ropes solidly to
secure their belongings and used a
"si" (tooth of the beast) to undo the
knots. In broader terms, the knots
were used as the earliest locks in
ancient China and "si" could be
referred to as the earliest key. Some
designs were not equipped with the
substantial functions of locks for
closing and opening. They were
with patterns of the shapes of fierce-
looking animals; for instance, a
tiger, to scare the thieves away. It is
a "scaring lock" with only symbolic
function.