As long as mankind has had stuff they didn't want stolen, mankind has had keys. Archaeologists excavating Babylonian sites have discovered clay cuneiform tablets depicting keys. The ancient Egyptians also had wooden keys and locks by around 2000 BC.
The ancient Greeks had keys that looked more like crowbars. They were long and looked a lot like the cranks you see in pictures of old cars, or like the cranks on a portable jack for your car.
The ancient Romans really refined the design of the key, making it look a lot more like a modern key and making it out of bronze.
Medieval or Dark Age keys were further refined. They were made of iron instead of bronze, and the teeth became more complex. The key was no longer L-shaped, but straight. The photo below is a key made just after the fall of the Roman Empire.
By the dawn of the Renaissance, key makers had gone nuts with artistry. They were still made of iron, but would make really awesome stencils or mazes. Here's a fifteenth-century German example.
By the seventeenth century, the teeth became less ornate, and all the attention was paid to the other end of the key. Hence, this utterly ridiculous but extremely cool example, made of steel from England.
By the eighteenth century, they had little gems like this. I know, I want one too. This, surprisingly, was made in Iran, a place not exactly known for its slightly dirty novelty items.
The nineteenth century saw a return to more simplistic designs, made of either cast iron or steel. However, note the still fine craftsmanship.
This tradition of keys that were small works of art continued until about 1910. That's when the sad, boring little keys we use now were invented and mass produced. Yes, our locks are harder to pick, and yes our car keys have computer chips in them, but they don't have fancy crowns on top. I say, forget "Do Not Duplicate;" let's all start using keys that unlock little metal dudes.
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