when were scissors invented

Scissors were invented nearly 4,000 years ago in the Middle East. The earliest forms, called spring scissors, consisted of two bronze blades connected by a thin, flexible strip that functioned as a spring. These types of scissors date back to Mesopotamian civilizations around 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. By around 1500 BC, ancient Egyptians had similar scissors-like tools, mostly large and heavy-duty shears used for outdoor tasks rather than cutting hair. The pivoted scissors resembling modern ones, with two blades joined at a central pivot point, were invented by the ancient Romans around 100 AD. This Roman innovation led to scissors being used not only for practical tasks but also for hairstyling. The design of pivoted scissors spread to East Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea, and has remained largely unchanged since then. Mass production of modern scissors began in the 1700s, with Robert Hinchliffe in England notably producing hardened and polished cast steel scissors in 1761.