Hirsch Selection

The use of wooden barrels to store and transport liquids dates back to 2690 B.C., when ancient
Egyptians during the Early Dynastic Period began replacing clay vessels with wooden casks in order
to meet the demands of their sprawling civilization. The advantages of wooden barrels were evident
— not only were they less fragile than clay vessels, but their cylindrical shape allowed them to be
rolled rather than carried across short distances. As settlers along the Nile quickly realized, howeve……