hopelessromantic

Around 800 years ago, Seljuk-era artisans built mechanical lockboxes using multiple rotating dials engraved with symbols. This example, made in Iran around 1200–1201 AD, uses four aligned dials with many possible positions, creating tens of thousands of potential alignments. While it doesn’t function like modern cryptographic systems, it reflects a sophisticated understanding of mechanical security and craftsmanship for the medieval period.