Corporate awards might be something that have only sprung up in relatively recent times, but trophies and awards in general have already been around for thousands of years. Decreasing example of instances where trophies have been an important part of human culture may be the Olympic Games.
There is no doubt that, even though trophy which was awarded to winners of an Olympic games event was a laurel wreath, the esteem where it was held was as great, and maybe even greater than, the gold medal awarded for the same events today. It really is simply undeniable that awards and trophies which have been presented to winners throughout history are a demonstration of the significance that each or group recognition plays in the human psyche.
It is interesting to note the development in the types of trophies awarded to winners as time passes. As mentioned above, laurel wreaths were the initial trophies ever awarded at the Olympic Games but as time passed awards of sustained significance started to become standard.
Vases filled with precious essential olive oil were presented to winners in the early days of the Olympic Games and even later, vases on tripods and bronze shields soon became the typical. Later again, silver cups received as an indicator of the prestige which individual achievements were held.
In Mike's Trophies took on sustained significance when money replaced trophies, especially in gladiatorial contests. However engraved labels for electrical panels of achievement were still maintained by way of perpetual trophies handed from winner to win with each passing event.
Even sporting events which were held in England in the centre Ages rewarded winners with chalices created from gold and silver coins. Archers would compete for prestigious events hosted by members of the royal family or local lords simply for the recognition it accorded them and the esteem where they would be held by the neighborhood community. Indeed, it had been not uncommon for the winners of the events to eventually achieve sustained standing with the award of land.
Symbolic gestures have become a standard thread throughout history and trophies have grown to be a vital part, not only in Western culture but in many other countries around the world as well.
Ancient Chinese records show that superior achievements on the battlefield were rewarded with medals awarded by the Emperor and in the Mayan culture high achievements were publicly recognised in ceremonies designed designed for the purpose.
Sporting achievements are also a common thread inside our history where trophies have been held in the highest esteem. Horse racing is synonymous with this particular and the history goes back to the 1600s in the Americas where a small silver cup, later to become referred to as the Kyp Cup, was awarded to the winner of a horse race between two towns in New England.
As time passes a lot of things change and the values in our lives ebb and flow with the course of human history, but one thing is certain. Trophies will continue to play their part in the recognition of human achievements whether in the corporate sphere or on the sports field.
