The practice of beekeeping originated in ancient Egypt. The earliest records date back to around 2400 BC, when the Egyptians worshipped bees as messengers from the gods. They were the first to learn how to keep bees domestically and built hives from clay and straw. In return, they received honey that was used in rituals, baking, and even embalming. However, early Egyptian hives were problematic and detrimental to the bees. To reach the honeycomb, the hives needed to be destroyed, which effectively killed the colony at the same time.
As beekeeping evolved, so did the makeshift hives from each culture. Instead of sticking with clay or hollowed-out logs, the Ancient Romans created a crude wooden hive. This was not only more efficient regarding raising bees, but also made the practice slightly more ethical.
Medieval Europe witnessed the rise of straw hives, commonly referred to as straw skeps. These were used primarily by monasteries, where monks used the honey for desserts and mead. While effective, these cone-shaped hives would not be the final result of centuries of beekeeping. During the Renaissance, the beehive underwent further refinement, but it was not yet perfected. The 19th century gave way to the Langstroth hive, a model that’s still used today. This featured sturdy walls with wooden layers in between, mimicking a wild beehive and making it easy to reach the honeycomb.