The History of Tents: How a Basic Living Structure Evolved Into a Special Event Staple

Renting tents to people and organizations for events, parties and gatherings of all sizes is a big part of what we do at Big AZ Promotions. We’re passionate about our business and as a result we’re extremely knowledgeable about the products we provide — including their history, which, in the case of tents, is fascinating.We rent a wide variety of tents to different people for all sorts of occasions and purposes, which mirrors the diversity found in the history of tents evolving from their most basic original form.It’s impossible to tell when, or where the “first” tent originated, but we do know that some type of similar portable structures have been used by our ancestors for thousands of years. There are even several references to tent-like structures in biblical literature. The first tents were used primarily as dwellings, which fit the nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle of early humans in many areas of the world. Most tents during this time were constructed out of animal hide.  As human civilization evolved, so too did tents.As agriculture developed throughout the world, tents were used to shade weary farmers during their breaks from raising crops and livestock. Nomadic herders also used portable tents for shelter as they stewarded their animals to new grazing pastures.  The next significant iteration of tent usage came from the militarization of different societies.Warriors and armies used tents for mobile shelter as they traveled to battle other peoples. The need for tents to be agile yet sturdy for military encampments helped solidify tents as an option for human shelter even outside of military functionality.Although for most of the beginning of the history of tent usage they were used as a utility, eventually tents became part of human leisure activities. Civilizations such as the Romans, Ottomans, Babylonians and others used large tents to house royalty at parties and festive gatherings. The evolution of tent usage can be directly tied to the advances in human culture. In other words, as people became less nomadic and had more leisure time tents became a sign of festivity, royalty and prosperity.As time passed, tents continued to be used in all the ways mentioned above (nomadic temporary living structures, military housing, shade for agricultural endeavors as well as leisure activities such as parties and festivities); however, these usages eventually started to evolve.  Different tents became symbolic of certain activities, the most famous being the classic American red and white circus tent. Camouflage tents became synonymous with military activity. Even tents used for celebrations started to diversify; large white tents became a staple of outdoor weddings and themed canopies became a must-have for American football tailgaters. You will be hard pressed to find an outdoor event in the United States today that doesn’t feature some type of tent.Whatever type of tent you need, whether it’s for a wedding, special event, party or charity function, Big AZ Promotions has the right tent rental for you. Our selection of party rental options is as diverse as the history of tents themselves!