History of the Mirror

Mirror, polished surface that reflects almost 100% of the light properly. The first mirror was obtained by polishing metal surfaces. Later, one surface of the glass plates was coated with mercury amalgams and a mirror was obtained. Today, it is usually obtained by glazing one side of glass plates with a thin layer of silver. Sometimes aluminum, gold, or even platinum are used instead of silver. Aluminum glazed mirrors also reflect ultraviolet rays with a wavelength of less than 0.4 microns. Mirrors; They are divided into three groups as flat, spherical and parabolic.

Centuries ago (until the 17th century), mirrors made of flat metal plates whose surface was well polished later gave way to glass plates, one side of which was covered with a very thin layer of metal. This metal coating, called glaze, allows the mirror to reflect light and give an image. Metals were used to make mirrors for a long time because they can be easily shaped and polished, so they can be smoothed and durable. It is known that Egyptians, Etruscans, Greeks and Romans used bronze hand mirrors in pre-Christ times. The more valuable ones were made of silver. There are also records showing that metal-coated glass mirrors were used in the past. However, this method was not widespread at that time.

Until just three centuries ago, the Venetian Republic was the only country in Europe to have the secret of glassware and mirror making in particular. The Venetians kept this secret with great care. They established their mirror and glassware factories on the island of Murano, and they did not allow anyone other than glazier masters to enter this island. The French learned this secret thanks to the four masters they kidnapped from the island, and after that, the mirror-making began to cease to be a secret.

In summary, the method used by the Venetians in making mirrors was as follows; A thin tin sheet is spread flatly, covered with mercury on top. After the excess mercury is compressed, a paper and a glass plate are placed on top of it. Now it is time to slowly pull out the paper in between. Meanwhile, tin and mercury form an amalgam and cover the lower surface of the glass. Now the only thing to do is to put a backing behind the glass that will protect the secret.

The method used by the Venetians left its place to a new method in the 19th century. German chemist Justus von Liebig (1803-1873) invented the method of silver plating on glass with a solution, and this method has been applied in the production of mirrors used for daily purposes even today. In order not to scratch the soft silver layer, coating and painting processes are carried out with materials such as copper sulphate.

In the mirrors used in scientific studies, the front faces are also silvered in order to prevent the glass from absorbing some of the light.

In many localities, the mirror is called seeing (derived from the word Eye). Mirrors are an object of popular belief and have different meanings. This symbolizes the border between the world and the other. It is perceived as a window to the spiritual realm. Looking in the mirror, the shaman can foretell the future or see his own soul. It shows invisible entities. Erlik Han takes a mirror around and when he looks at it, he sees all the sins people have committed. Looking in the mirror at night is not welcomed, thinking that it will bring bad luck. When the mirror is placed on the ground, it turns into a sea. When the comb is put on the ground, it turns into a forest.

Some shamans have mirrors with abnormal powers. In the afterlife, there is a mirror standing in a chest between two mountains whose peaks touch the sky and show the whole world. Leaving an inverted mirror on burials is an old Turkish tradition and there are regions that continue to be practiced in Anatolia. The act of seeing and images have a different significance in Turkish culture. Image is considered the most important part of reality. For this reason, there are legend motifs such as the prohibition of looking back (prohibition of looking back) or prohibition of not looking at anyone. If the hero who passes the exam does not obey this prohibition, the stone is cut (turns into stone). When you look back, a negative orientation to the spirit world occurs with a perception of reflection, just like in a mirror. The connection between the words Tevger / Teker in Chuvashch and the word Consumer in Hungarian is interesting. In fairy tales, magic mirrors inform the future, point out distant places, talk to people.