Most historians agree that it was the Ancient Romans who get the credit for originating the pub sign. Roman wine merchants would hang vine leaves or bushes on a pole just outside their establishment to let the illiterate public know where to find drink and games. As time went on, the Romans added illustrations to signs outside their venue. One of the earliest of these signs depicts two Roman slaves carrying a vase of wine between them. Yet another features the Roman god of Bacchus to signify a local wine merchant.
Over the next hundred years, to grow their expanding empire, the Romans created a system of inns-taverns along newly constructed roads. To identify themselves to travelers, these inns would often post an easily identifiable sign. Because the majority of the public could not read, there was no reason to write the establishments name on the sign. Often the inn opened without a name and over the years, a name evolved from the illustration on its sign.
In the middle ages, many of the signs had a religious theme, using emblems of Catholic Saints or other religious symbols. When King Henry broke with the Catholic Church signs depicting royalty, battles and admirals became popular. This was also around the time that darts became a popular pub game. They were most likely derived as an indoor version of archery and the first dart boards were probably the sides of wood barrels.
Signs became a method of advertising after King Richard II passed an Act that required all ale houses to post a sign in 1393. This was to identify themselves to the official ale taster rather than to promote their establishment to the public, but it practice caught on. Since that time a creative pub sign and good times have always gone together.
Today, PubSignShop.com offers you a wide variety of fun and whimsical signs for work and pleasure based on the pub sign tradition. You will find just the right words to express yourself whether it is for a birthday, graduation, retirement, anniversary or wedding gift or a practical sign for the workplace. Cheers!
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