The essential towel has been in existence for thousands of years. Cavepeople crushed the skulls of their hunted prey, and used animal furs as a form of after-shower absorbant, according to myth.

The recorded invention of the modern day towel is associated with the Turkish city, Burma, known for its imports of fabrics. It is supposed that the first authentic towel originated here sometime before 1284 when the first sighting of the original French word, toaille, was recorded.

By the 18th century, the industrial revolution was just beginning and towels weren't far from the top of the list of items to mass produce. Entrepreneurs saw opportunity in the the field of cotton, due to the fabric's wide spread use and functionality.

Towel was first recorded as a verb in 1836 and meant to make use of a towel.

After the Television became comercially available in the 1930s, towels were often seen in shows or movies, which greatly increased the propensity for consumer purchases. Towels are still scarcely mentioned in music.

Sources: wikipedia.org, etymonline.com, and wild speculation
Images: dagabrothers.com, and wallpaper.vsnl.us

Last Modified April 8, 2010 by Benjamin J. DeLong