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Umbrella
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Anumbrellaorparasolisacanopydesignedtoprotectagainstrainorsunlight.Theword
parasolusuallyreferstoanitemdesignedtoprotectfromthesunumbrellareferstoadevice
moresuitedtoprotectfromrain.Oftenthedifferenceisthematerialsomeparasolsarenot
waterproof.
Umbrellasandparasolsareprimarilyhandheldportabledevicesdesignedtoshieldan
individualfromsunorrain,andaresizedforpersonaluse.Today,largerparasolsareoften
usedasfixedorsemifixeddevices,usedwithpatiotablesorotheroutdoorfurniture,oras
pointsofshadeonasunnybeach.Thecollapsible(orfolding)andinternallysupported
umbrella,thedirectpredecessortothemodernumbrella,originatedinChina.[2][3]andhad
slidingleverssimilartothoseinusetoday.[4]
Parasolsaresometimescalledsunshades.Anumbrellamayalsobecalledabrolly(UK
slang),parapluie(nineteenthcentury,Frenchorigin),rainshade,gamp(British,informal,
dated),bumbershoot(Americanslang).

Childwithumbrella

Contents
1Etymology
2History
2.1MiddleEast
2.2AncientChina
2.3AncientEgypt
2.4AncientGreece
2.5AncientRome

Partsofanumbrella[1]

2.6AncientIndia
2.7Siam
2.8AztecEmpire
2.9Europe
2.9.117thcentury
2.9.218thand19thcenturies
3Modernuse
4Otheruses
4.1Inreligiousceremony

CloseupofatraditionalJapanese
parasol(higasa)

4.1.1CatholicChurch
4.1.2OrientalOrthodoxChurches
4.2Inphotography
4.3Forprotectionagainstattackers
4.4Asaweaponofattack
5Inarchitecture
6Inart
7Seealso
8References

Etymology
Theword"parasol"(SpanishorFrench)isacombinationofpara,meaningtostoportoshield,andsol,meaningsun."Parapluie"
(French)similarlyconsistsofparacombinedwithpluie,whichmeansrain(whichinturnderivesfrompluvia,theLatinwordfor
rain).Hence,aparasolshieldsfromsunlightwhileaparapluieshieldsfromrain.(Parachutemeans"shieldfromfall".)
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Theword"umbrella"evolvedfromtheLatinumbella(anumbelisaflattoppedroundedflower)orumbra,meaningshadedor
shadow(theLatinword,inturn,derivesfromtheAncientGreekmbros[]).ThesuffixelleisusedinFrenchtodenote
"little",thusanumbrelle(umbrella)isa"littleshadow".
InBritain,umbrellasaresometimesreferredtoas"gamps"afterthecharacterMrs.Gampin
theCharlesDickensnovelMartinChuzzlewit,althoughthisusageisnowobscure.[5]Mrs.
Gamp'scharacterwaswellknownforcarryinganumbrella.[6]
Brollyisaslangwordforumbrella,usedofteninBritain,Ireland,NewZealand,Australia,
SouthAfrica,andKenya.
BumbershootisafancifulAmericanismfromthelate19thcentury.[7]

History
MiddleEast
InthesculpturesatNinevehtheparasolappearsfrequently.[8]AustenHenryLayardgivesa
pictureofabasreliefrepresentingakinginhischariot,withanattendantholdingaparasol
overhishead.[8]Ithasacurtainhangingdownbehind,butisotherwiseexactlylikethosein
usetoday.[8]Itisreservedexclusivelyforthemonarch(whowasbald),andisnevercarried
overanyotherperson.[8]

Mansittingunderabeachumbrella

InPersiatheparasolisrepeatedlyfoundinthecarvedworkofPersepolis,andSirJohn
Malcolmhasanarticleonthesubjectinhis1815"HistoryofPersia."[8]Insomesculptures,thefigureofakingappearsattendedbya
servant,whocarriesoverhisheadanumbrella,withstretchersandrunnercomplete.[8]InothersculpturesontherockatTaghe
Bostan,supposedtobenotlessthantwelvecenturiesold,adeerhuntisrepresented,atwhichakinglookson,seatedonahorse,and
havinganumbrellaborneoverhisheadbyanattendant.[8]

AncientChina

ATerracottaArmycarriagewithan
umbrellasecurelyfixedtotheside,
fromQinShihuang'stomb,c.210
BCE

Inallwrittenrecords,theoldestreferencetoacollapsibleumbrelladatestotheyear21AD,
whenWangMang(r.923)hadonedesignedforaceremonialfourwheeledcarriage.[9]The
2ndcenturycommentatorFuQianaddedthatthiscollapsibleumbrellaofWangMang's
carriagehadbendablejointswhichenabledthemtobeextendedorretracted.[10]A1stcentury
collapsibleumbrellahassincebeenrecoveredfromthetombofWangGuangatLelang
CommanderyintheKoreanPeninsula,illustratedinaworkbyHaradaandKomai.[11]
However,theChinesecollapsibleumbrellaisperhapsaconceptthatisyetcenturiesolderthan
Wang'stomb.ZhouDynastybronzecastingsofcomplexbronzesocketedhingeswithlocking
slidesandboltswhichcouldhavebeenusedforparasolsandumbrellaswerefoundinan
archeologicalsiteofLuoyang,datedtothe6thcenturyBC.[11]
AnevenoldersourceontheumbrellaisperhapstheancientbookofChineseceremonies,
calledZhouLi(TheRitesofZhou),dating2400yearsago,whichdirectsthatupontheimperial
carsthedaisshouldbeplaced.ThefigureofthisdaiscontainedinZhouLi,andthedescription
ofitgivenintheexplanatorycommentaryofLinhiye,bothidentifyitwithanumbrella.The
latterdescribesthedaistobecomposedof28arcs,whichareequivalenttotheribsofthe
moderninstrument,andthestaffsupportingthecoveringtoconsistoftwoparts,theupper
beingarod3/18ofaChinesefootincircumference,andtheloweratube6/10in
circumference,intowhichtheupperhalfiscapableofslidingandclosing.

TheChinesecharacterforumbrellais(sn)andisapictographresemblingthemodern
umbrellaindesign.Someinvestigatorshavesupposedthatitsinventionwasfirstcreatedby
tyinglargeleavestoboughlikeribs(thebranchingoutpartsofanumbrella).Othersassert
thattheideawasprobablyderivedfromthetent,whichremainsinformunalteredtothe
ParasolsinWuhan,China
presentday.However,thetraditionexistinginChinaisthatitoriginatedinstandardsand
bannerswavingintheair,hencetheuseoftheumbrellawasoftenlinkedtohighranking
(thoughnotnecessarilyroyaltyinChina).Ononeoccasionatleast,twentyfourumbrellaswerecarriedbeforetheEmperorwhenhe
wentouthunting.Inthiscasetheumbrellaservedasadefenseagainstrainratherthansun.TheChinesedesignwaslaterbroughtto
JapanviaKoreaandalsointroducedtoPersiaandtheWesternworldviatheSilkRoad.TheChineseandJapanesetraditionalparasol,
oftenusedneartemples,tothisdayremainssimilartotheoriginalancientChinesedesign.

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AlateSongDynastyChinesedivinationbookthatwasprintedinabout1270ADfeaturesapictureofacollapsibleumbrellathatis
exactlylikethemodernumbrellaoftoday'sChina.[11]

AncientEgypt
InEgypt,theparasolisfoundinvariousshapes.Insomeinstancesitisdepictedasaflagellum,afanofpalmleavesorcoloured
feathersfixedonalonghandle,resemblingthosenowcarriedbehindthePopeinprocessions.[8]GardinerWilkinson,inhisworkon
Egypt,hasanengravingofanEthiopianprincesstravellingthroughUpperEgyptinachariotakindofumbrellafastenedtoastout
polerisesinthecentre,bearingacloseaffinitytowhatarenowtermedchaiseumbrellas.[8]AccordingtoWilkinson'saccount,the
umbrellawasgenerallyusedthroughoutEgypt,partlyasamarkofdistinction,butmoreonaccountofitsusefulthanitsornamental
qualities.[8]Insomepaintingsonatemplewall,aparasolisheldoverthefigureofagodcarriedinprocession.[8]

AncientGreece
InGreece,theparasol(skiadeion),wasanindispensableadjuncttoaladyoffashioninthelate5thcenturyBC.[12]Aristophanes
mentionsitamongthecommonarticlesoffemaleuse[13]theycouldapparentlyopenandclose.[14]Pausaniasdescribesatombnear
TriteiainAchaiadecoratedwitha4thcenturyBCpaintingascribedtoNikiasitdepictedthefigureofawoman,"andbyherstooda
femaleslave,bearingaparasol".[15]Foramantocarryonewasconsideredamarkofeffeminacy.[16]InAristophanes'Birds,
Prometheususesoneasacomicaldisguise.[17]
Italsohadreligioussignificance.IntheScirophoria,thefeastofAtheneSciras,awhiteparasolwasbornebythepriestessesofthe
goddessfromtheAcropolistothePhalerus.InthefeastsofDionysostheumbrellawasused,andinanoldbasreliefthesamegodis
representedasdescendingadinferoswithasmallumbrellainhishand.InthePanathena,thedaughtersoftheMetics,orforeign
residents,carriedparasolsovertheheadsofAthenianwomenasamarkofinferiority.

AncientRome
FromGreeceitisprobablethattheuseoftheparasolpassedtoRome,whereitseemstohavebeenusuallyusedbywomen,whileit
wasthecustomevenforeffeminatementodefendthemselvesfromtheheatbymeansoftheUmbraculum,formedofskinorleather,
andcapableofbeingloweredatwill.TherearefrequentreferencestotheumbrellaintheRomanClassics,anditappearsthatitwas,
notunlikely,apostofhonouramongmaidservantstobearitovertheirmistresses.Allusionstoitaretolerablyfrequentinthepoets.
(OvidFast.lib.ii.,1.31I.Martial,lib.xi.,ch.73.lib.xiv,ch.28,130Juvenal,ix.,50.OvidArs.Am.,ii.,209).Fromsuch
mentionstheumbrelladoesnotappeartohavebeenusedasadefencefromrainthisiscuriousenough,foritisknownthatthe
theatreswereprotectedbythevelariumorawning,whichwasdrawnacrossthearenawheneverasuddenshowercameon.Possibly
theexpensebestowedinthedecorationoftheumbraculumwasareasonforitsnotbeingappliedtosuchuse.
AccordingtoGorius,theumbrellacametoRomefromtheEtruscanswhocametoRomeforprotection,andcertainlyitappearsnot
infrequentlyonEtruscanvasesandpottery,asalsoonlatergemsandrubies.Onegem,figuredbyPacudius,showsanumbrellawitha
benthandle,slopingbackwards.StrabodescribesasortofscreenorumbrellawornbySpanishwomen,butthisisnotlikeamodern
umbrella.

AncientIndia
TheSanskritepicMahabharata(about4thcentury)relatesthefollowinglegend:Jamadagni
wasaskilledbowshooter,andhisdevotedwifeRenukawouldalwaysrecovereachofhis
arrowsimmediately.Onetimehowever,ittookherawholedaytofetchthearrow,andshe
laterblamedtheheatofthesunforthedelay.TheangryJamadagnishotanarrowatthesun.
ThesunbeggedformercyandofferedRenukaanumbrella.[18]
JeanBaptisteTavernier,inhis17thcenturybook"VoyagetotheEast",saysthatoneachside
oftheMogul'sthroneweretwoumbrellas,andalsodescribesthehalloftheKingofAvawas
decoratedwithanumbrella.ThechhtaoftheIndianandBurmeseprincesislargeandheavy,
andrequiresaspecialattendant,whohasaregularpositionintheroyalhousehold.InAvait
seemstohavebeenpartoftheking'stitle,thathewas"Kingofthewhiteelephant,andLord
ofthetwentyfourumbrellas."In1855theKingofBurmadirectedalettertotheMarquisof
Dalhousieinwhichhestyleshimself"Hisgreat,glorious,andmostexcellentMajesty,who
reignsoverthekingdomsofThunaparanta,Tampadipa,andallthegreatumbrellawearing
chiefsoftheEasterncountries".

Siam

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SimondelaLoubre,whowasEnvoyExtraordinaryfromtheFrenchKingtotheKingofSiamin1687and1688,wroteanaccount
entitleda"NewHistoricalRelationoftheKingdomofSiam",whichwastranslatedin1693intoEnglish.Accordingtohisaccountthe
useoftheumbrellawasgrantedtoonlysomeofthesubjectsbytheking.Anumbrellawithseveralcircles,asiftwoorthree
umbrellaswerefastenedonthesamestick,waspermittedtothekingalonethenoblescarriedasingleumbrellawithpaintedcloths
hangingfromit.TheTalapoins(whoseemtohavebeenasortofSiamesemonks)hadumbrellasmadeofapalmleafcutandfolded,
sothatthestemformedahandle.

AztecEmpire
TheAtdistrictofTenochtitlanwasreportedtohaveusedanumbrellamadefromfeathersandgoldasitspantli,anidentifyingmarker
thatistheequivalentofamodernflag.Thepantliwascarriedbythearmygeneral.[19]

Europe
TheextremepaucityofallusionstoumbrellasthroughouttheMiddleAgesshowsthattheywerenotincommonuse.Inanold
romance,"TheBlondeofOxford",ajestermakesfunofanoblemanforbeingoutintherainwithouthiscloak."WereIarichman",
sayshe,"Iwouldbearmyhouseaboutwithme".Itappearsthatpeopledependedoncloaks,notumbrellas,forprotectionagainst
storms.
17thcentury
ThomasWright,inhisDomesticMannersoftheEnglish,givesadrawingfromtheHarleian
MS.,No.604,whichrepresentsanAngloSaxongentlemanwalkingoutattendedbyhis
servant,theservantcarryinganumbrellawithahandlethatslopesbackwards,soastobring
theumbrellaovertheheadofthepersoninfront.[20]Itprobablycouldnotbeclosed,but
otherwiseitlookslikeanordinaryumbrella,andtheribsarerepresenteddistinctly.[20]
ThegeneraluseoftheumbrellainFranceandEnglandwasadopted,probablyfromChina,[20]
aboutthemiddleoftheseventeenthcentury.[20]Atthatperiod,pictorialrepresentationsofit
arefrequentlyfound,someofwhichexhibitthepeculiarbroadanddeepcanopybelongingto
thelargeparasoloftheChineseGovernmentofficials,bornebynativeattendants.[20]
JohnEvelyn,inhisDiaryforJune22,1664,mentionsacollectionofraritiesshowntohimby
"Thompson",aRomanCatholicpriest,sentbytheJesuitsofJapanandChinatoFrance.[20]
Amongthecuriositieswere"fanslikethoseourladiesuse,butmuchlarger,andwithlong
handles,strangelycarvedandfilledwithChinesecharacters",whichisevidentlyadescription
oftheparasol.[20]
InThomasCoryat'sCrudities,publishedin1611,aboutacenturyandahalfpriortothe
generalintroductionoftheumbrellaintoEngland,[20]isareferencetoacustomofridersin
Italyusingumbrellas:
Andmanyofthemdoecarryotherfinethingsofafargreaterprice,thatwillcostatthe
leastaduckat,whichtheycommonlycallintheItaliantongueumbrellas,thatis,things
whichministershadowvetothemforshelteragainstthescorchingheateofthesunne.
Thesearemadeofleather,somethinganswerabletotheformeofalittlecannopy,&
hoopedintheinsidewithdiverslittlewoodenhoopesthatextendtheumbrellaina
prettylargecompasse.Theyareusedespeciallybyhorsemen,whocarrythemintheir
handswhentheyride,fasteningtheendofthehandleupononeoftheirthighs,andthey
impartsolargeashadowuntothem,thatitkeepeththeheateofthesunnefromthe
upperpartsoftheirbodies.[20]

MarchesaElenaGrimaldi,by
AnthonisvanDyck,1623

InJohnFlorio's"AWORLDofWords"(1598),theItalianwordOmbrellaistranslated
afan,acanopie.alsoatesternorclothofstateforaprince.alsoakindofroundfanorshadowingthattheyvsetoride
withinsommerinItaly,alittleshade.Alsoabonegraceforawoman.Alsothehuskorcodofanyseedeorcorne.alsoa
broadspredingbunch,asoffenell,nill,orelderbloomes.[20]
InRandleCotgrave'sDictionaryoftheFrenchandEnglishTongues(1614),theFrenchOmbrelleistranslated

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Anumbrelloa(fashionof)roundandbroadfanne,wherewiththeIndians(andfromthemourgreatones)preserve
themselvesfromtheheatofascorchingsunneandhenceanylittleshadow,fanne,orthing,wherewithwomenhidetheir
facesfromthesunne.[20]
InFynesMoryson'sItinerary(1617)isasimilarallusiontothehabitofcarryingumbrellasinhotcountries"toauoidethebeamesof
thesunne".Theiremployment,saystheauthor,isdangerous,"becausetheygathertheheateintoapyramidallpoint,andthencecastit
downperpendicularlyuponthehead,excepttheyknowhowtocarrythemforauoydingthatdanger".[20]
18thand19thcenturies
Kersey'sDictionary(1708)describesanumbrellaasa"screencommonlyusedbywomento
keepoffrain".
InDanielDefoe'sRobinsonCrusoe,heconstructedhisownumbrellainimitationofthethose
thathehadseenusedinBrazil."Icovereditwithskins,"hesays,"thehairoutwards,sothatit
castofftherainlikeapenthouse,andkeptoffthesunsoeffectually,thatIcouldwalkoutin
thehottestoftheweatherwithgreateradvantagethanIcouldbeforeinthecoolest."Fromthis
descriptiontheoriginalheavyumbrellascametobecalled"Robinson"whichtheyretainedfor
manyyearsinEnglandandFrance.
CaptainJamesCook,inoneofhisvoyages,seessomeofthenativesoftheSouthPacific
Islands,withumbrellasmadeofpalmleaves.
Theuseoftheumbrellaorparasol(thoughnotunknown)wasuncommonduringtheearlier
halfoftheeighteenthcentury,asisevidentfromthecommentmadebyGeneral(thenLieut.
Colonel)JamesWolfe,whenwritingfromParisin1752,speaksoftheuseofumbrellasfor
protectionfromthesunandrain,andwonderswhyasimilarpracticedidnotoccurinEngland.
Aboutthesametime,umbrellascameintogeneraluseaspeoplefoundtheirvalue,andgot
AparasoldepictedinMorningWalk,
overtheshynessnaturaltoitsintroduction.JonasHanway,thefounderoftheMagdalen
byJohnSingerSargent
Hospital,hasthecreditofbeingthefirstmanwhoventuredtodarepublicreproachand
ridiculebycarryingonehabituallyinLondon.Ashediedin1786,andheissaidtohave
carriedanumbrellaforthirtyyears,thedateofitsfirstusebyhimmaybesetdownatabout1750.JohnMacdonaldrelatesthatin
1770,heusedtobeaddressedas,"Frenchman,Frenchman!whydon'tyoucallacoach?"wheneverhewentoutwithhisumbrella.By
1788howevertheyseemtohavebeenaccepted:aLondonnewspaperadvertisesthesaleof'improvedandpocketUmbrellas,onsteel
frames,witheveryotherkindofcommonUmbrella.'[21]Butfullacceptanceisnotcompleteeventodaywithsomeconsidering
umbrellaseffete.
Sincethen,theumbrellahascomeintogeneraluse,inconsequenceofnumerousimprovements.InChinapeoplelearnedhowto
waterprooftheirpaperumbrellaswithwaxandlacquer.Thetransitiontothepresentportableformisdue,partlytothesubstitutionof
silkandginghamfortheheavyandtroublesomeoiledsilk,whichadmittedoftheribsandframesbeingmademuchlighter,andalso
tomanyingeniousmechanicalimprovementsintheframework.Victorianeraumbrellashadframesofwoodorbaleen,butthese
deviceswereexpensiveandhardtofoldwhenwet.SamuelFoxinventedthesteelribbedumbrellain1852however,the
EncyclopdieMthodiquementionsmetalribsattheendoftheeighteenthcentury,andtheywerealsoonsaleinLondonduringthe
1780s.[21]Moderndesignsusuallyemployatelescopingsteeltrunknewmaterialssuchascotton,plasticfilmandnylonoftenreplace
theoriginalsilk.

Modernuse
NationalUmbrellaDayisheldonthe10thdayofFebruaryeachyeararoundtheworld.[22][23]
In1928,HansHaupt'spocketumbrellasappeared.[24]In1969,BradfordEPhillips,theownerofTotesIncorporatedofLoveland,
Ohioobtainedapatentforthefirst"workingfoldingumbrella".[25]
Umbrellashavealsobeenfashionedintohatsasearlyas1880andatleastasrecentlyas1987.[26]
Golfumbrellas,oneofthelargestsizesincommonuse,aretypicallyaround62inches(157cm)across,butcanrangeanywherefrom
60to70inches(150to180cm).[27]
Umbrellasarenowaconsumerproductwithalargeglobalmarket.Asof2008,mostumbrellasworldwidearemadeinChina,mostly
intheGuangdong,FujianandZhejiangprovinces.ThecityofShangyualonehadmorethanathousandumbrellafactories.IntheUS
alone,about33millionumbrellas,worth$348million,aresoldeachyear.[28]

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Umbrellascontinuetobeactivelydeveloped.IntheUS,somanyumbrellarelatedpatentsarebeingfiledthattheU.S.PatentOffice
employsfourfulltimeexaminerstoassessthem.Asof2008,theofficeregisteredthreethousandactivepatentsonumbrellarelated
inventions.Nonetheless,Totes,thelargestAmericanumbrellaproducer,hasstoppedacceptingunsolicitedproposals.Itsdirectorof
umbrelladevelopmentwasreportedassayingthatwhileumbrellasaresoordinarythateveryonethinksaboutthem,"it'sdifficultto
comeupwithanumbrellaideathathasntalreadybeendone."[28]
Whilethepredominatecanopyshapeofanumbrellaisround,canopyshapeshavebeenstreamlinedtoimproveaerodynamicresponse
towind.ExamplesincludethestealthshapedcanopyofRizotti[29](1996),scoopshapedcanopyofLisciandro[30](2004),and
teardropshapedcanopiesofHollinger[31](2004).
In2005GerwinHoogendoorn,[32]aDutchindustrialdesignstudentoftheDelftUniversityofTechnology[33]intheNetherlands,
inventedanaerodynamicallystreamlinedstormumbrella(withasimilarshapeasastealthplane)[34][35]whichcanwithstandwind
force10(windsofupto100km/hor70mp/h)[35][36]andwon'tturninsideoutlikearegularumbrella[33]aswellasbeingequipped
withsocalledeyesaverswhichprotectothersfrombeingaccidentallywoundedbythetips.[33]Hoogendoorn'sstormumbrellawas
nominatedforandwonseveraldesignawards[37]and
wasfeaturedonGoodMorningAmerica.[34]The
umbrellaissoldinEuropeastheSenzumbrellaandis
soldunderlicensebyTotesintheUnitedStates.[38]
The"DAVEK"lineofupscaleumbrellasfeaturesa
uniquelystrong,patentedframesystemand
unconditionallifetimeguarantee.AlanKaufman's
"Nubrella"andGregBrebner's"Blunt"areother
contemporarydesigns.[36]

Otheruses

Collapsedumbrellasinatemplein
Japan

(video)Astreamofpeopleand
umbrellasinsidetheImperialPalace
onarainyautumnday.

Theumbrellaisusedinweatherforecastingasanicon
forrain.Twovariations,aplainumbrella(,U+2602)
andanumbrellawithraindropsoverhead( ,U+2614),
areencodedintheMiscellaneousSymbolsblockof
Unicode.

Inreligiousceremony
Asacanopyofstate,umbrellasweregenerallyusedinsouthernandeasternEurope,andthen
passedfromtheimperialcourtintochurchceremony.Theyarefoundintheceremoniesofthe
ByzantineChurch,wereborneovertheHostinprocession,and
formpartofthePontificalregalia.

TestingaSenzstormumbrellain
Rotterdam,usingahighpoweredfan

CatholicChurch

UmbraculumfromSaint
ServatiusBasilicain
Maastricht

Theombrellinoorumbraculumisapartofthepapalregalia.Although
thepopesnolongeruseitpersonally,itisdisplayedonthecoatof
armsofasedevacante(thepapalarmsusedbetweenthedeathofa
popeandtheelectionofhissuccessor).Thisumbraculumisnormally
madeofalternatingredandgoldfabric,andisusuallydisplayedina
partiallyunfoldedmanner.Thepopeshavetraditionallybestowedthe
useoftheumbraculumasamarkofhonoruponspecificpersonsand
places.Theuseofanumbraculumisoneofthehonorarysymbolsofa
basilicaandmaybeusedinthebasilica'scoatofarms,andcarriedin
processionsbythebasilica'scanons.

GrandProcessionofthe
DogeofVenice(16th
century)

AlargeumbrellaisdisplayedineachoftheBasilicasofRome,anda
cardinalbishopwhoreceiveshistitlefromoneofthosechurcheshas
theprivilegeofhavinganumbrellacarriedoverhisheadinsolemnprocessions.Itispossiblethatthe
galero(widebrimmedcardinal'shat)maybederivedfromthisumbrella.Beatiano,anItalianherald,saysthat"avermilionumbrella
inafieldargentsymbolisesdominion."
Anumbrella,alsoknownastheumbraculumorombrellino,isusedinRomanCatholicliturgyaswell.ItisheldovertheHoly
SacramentoftheEucharistanditscarrierbyaserverinshortprocessionstakingplaceindoors,oruntilthepriestismetatthe
sanctuaryentrancebythebearersoftheprocessionalcanopyorbaldacchino.Itisregularlywhiteorgolden(thecoloursreservedfor
theHolySacrament)andmadeofsilk.
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OrientalOrthodoxChurches
InseveralOrientalOrthodoxChurches,suchastheEthiopianOrthodoxTewahedoChurch,umbrellasareusedliturgicallytoshow
honortoaperson(suchasabishop)oraholyobject.IntheceremoniesofTimkat(Epiphany),priestswillcarryamodelofthe
TabletsofStone,calledaTabot,ontheirheadsinprocessiontoabodyofwater,whichwill
thenbeblessed.Brightlycoloredembroideredandfringedliturgicalparasolsarecarriedabove
theTabotaduringthisprocession.Suchprocessionsalsotakeplaceonothermajorfeastdays.

Inphotography
Umbrellaswithareflectiveinsideareusedbyphotographersasadiffusiondevicewhen
employingartificiallighting,andasaglareshieldandshade,mostofteninportrait
situations.[39]Someumbrellasareshootthroughumbrellas,meaningthelightgoesthroughthe
umbrellaandisdiffused,ratherthanreflectingofftheinsideoftheumbrella.[40]Photographic
umbrellas,likeallumbrellas,tendtocatchthewind,soanyumbrellaonalightstandhastobe
wellsecured,especiallywhenusedoutdoors,lestabreezetoppleit,possiblydestroyingthe
umbrellaand/orotherequipmentonthelightstand.

Forprotectionagainstattackers

EthiopianOrthodoxclergymenleada
processionincelebrationofSaint
Michael.Thepriestscarryornately
coveredTabotaaroundthechurch's
exterior,assistedbydeaconsholding
liturgicalumbrellas.

In1838,theBaronCharlesRandomdeBerengerinstructedreadersofhisbookHowtoProtect
LifeandPropertyinseveralmethodsofusinganumbrellaasanimprovisedweaponagainsthighwaymen.
In1897,journalistJ.F.SullivanproposedtheumbrellaasamisunderstoodweaponinatongueincheekarticlefortheLudgate
Monthly.
Between1899and1902,bothumbrellasandwalkingsticksasselfdefenceweaponswereincorporatedintotherepertoireofBartitsu.
InJanuary1902,anarticleinTheDailyMirrorinstructedwomenonhowtheycoulddefendthemselvesfromruffianswithan
umbrellaorparasol.
InMarch2011mediaoutletsrevealedthatFrenchpresidentNicolasSarkozyhasstartedusinga10,000armorplatedumbrellato
protecthimfromattackers."ParaPactum"isaKevlarcoateddevicemadebyTheRealCherbourg.Itwillbecarriedbyamemberof
Sarkozy'ssecurityteam.[41]
Duringthe2014HongKongprotests,sometimesreferredtoasthe"UmbrellaRevolution",protestersusedumbrellasasshields
againstpeppersprayandteargasfromriotpolice.[42]

Asaweaponofattack
In1978BulgariandissidentwriterGeorgiMarkovwaskilledinLondonbyadoseofricininjectedviaamodifiedumbrella.TheKGB
iswidelybelievedtohavedevelopedamodifiedumbrellathatcoulddeliveradeadlypellet.
In2005inawellknowncaseinSouthAfrica,BrianHahn,associateprofessorinmathematicsandappliedmathematicsatthe
UniversityofCapeTownwasbeatentodeathwithanumbrellabyexdoctoralstudentMaleafishaSteveTladi.[43]
Inthe1992filmBatmanReturns,thePenguin(DannyDeVito)sportsabulletandgasfiringumbrella.

Inarchitecture

UmbrellasonSundanceSquarein
FortWorth,Texas,USA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbrella

Inthe1950sFreiOttotransformedtheuniversallyused
individualumbrellaintoanitemoflightweight
architecture.Hedevelopedanewumbrellaform,based
ontheminimumsurfaceprinciple.Thetensionloaded
membraneofthefunnelshapedumbrellaisnow
stretchedunderthecompressionloadedbars.This
constructiontypemadeittechnicallyandstructurally
possibletobuildverylargeconvertibleumbrellas.[44]
Thefirstumbrellasofthiskind(FederalGarden
Exhibition,Kassel,1955)werefixed,FreiOtto
constructedthefirstconvertiblelargeumbrellasforthe
FederalGardenExhibitioninCologne1971.[45]In
1978hebuiltagroupoftenconvertibleumbrellasfor

PedestrianViewofRetractable
Umbrellas,ProphetsHolyMosque,
Medina

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BritishrockgroupPinkFloydsAmericantour.Thegreatbeautyoftheselightweightstructuresinspiredmanysubsequentprojects
builtallovertheworld.ThelargestconvertibleumbrellasbuiltuntilnowweredesignedbyMahmoudBodoRaschandhisteamat
SLRasch[46]toprovideshelterfromsunandrainforthegreatmosquesinSaudiArabia.[47]

Inart
Umbrellasandparasolsinart

UtagawaKunisada

PierreAuguste
Renoir,
Umbrellas,
1883

Coupleunder
umbrellain
snow,Suzuki
Harunobu

Womanwitha
ParasolMadame
MonetandHerSon,
1875

Theparasolis
oneoftheEight
Auspicious
Symbolsof
Tibetan
Buddhism.

ApaintingofChancellorPierre
Sguierwithaparasolhoisted
abovehishead,byCharlesLe
Brun,1670

Womanwitha
parasol,by
douardManet,
1881

Japanesegirl
jumpsform
Kiyomizudera,
SuzukiHarunobu,
1750

ColinCampbellCooper,
Summer,1918

VictorGabriel
Gilbert,woman
withJapaneses
parasol,1933

Seealso
Brumbrella
Cocktailumbrella
Oilpaperumbrella
Umbraculum
UmbrellaHat
Umbrellastand

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7. ^" ''WorldWideWords''Originoftheword"Bumbershoot" "(http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qabum2.htm).Worldwidewords.org.

20021013.Retrieved20131010.
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28. ^abOrlean,Susan(February11,2008)."ThinkingintheRain:Anartisttakesontheumbrella"
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