History of Wall Decals

October 18, 2017

Long before the creation of modern wall decals, humans were expressing their creative abilities through other forms of wall art. These were manifested through ancient wall paintings, murals, and other architectural designs. Historical evidence takes us way back to the European prehistoric times, approximately 32,000 years ago, when cavemen and apes were still practically non-distant relatives. Using pigments, resins, plant saps, and animal blood, man's ancestors interpreted momentous events and rituals through wall drawings and sculptures.

Ancient Egyptians attempted to preserve past practices, knowledge, and beliefs through symbolic and highly stylized wall murals. These murals, dating way back from 5000 BC to 300 AD, depicted social classes and order and were regarded as a means by which Egyptians honored their deities, rulers, and the concept of an afterlife.

In Central America, the Mayans decorated temple interiors with images and paintings that showed battle scenes, acts of nobility, and sacrificial rituals. These elaborate murals, dating back to 790 AD, were considered to be highly advanced. The Mayans used subtle techniques, colors, and style which influenced today's art forms.

These different types of wall art have been preserved to honor the past and have become sources of inspiration even with the introduction of newer, digitized technology. In today's generation, paintings and custom wall murals are still widely appreciated and highly regarded but cost way too much. Only rich people can afford them. Over time, people discovered ways to transform art into practical, modern, and affordable forms. This brought about the rise of wall decals, which have become one of the staples of home and commercial design.