Door knocker

A door knocker is an externally mounted door fitting with a movable ring or flail, which hits a button fixed underneath to ask the residents of the house or apartment to open.

Usually consists of the beater, and the surface on the falling of the ring, made of bronze or iron, to still produce a good audible tapping, even at very massive doors. The Middle Ages and the Renaissance turned the door knocker small works of art. The first known door knockers date from the Middle Ages and still had hammer-shaped flail. Of them formally and functionally the medieval door puller can be distinguished ( in the form of a lion mask with ring in its mouth ), although modern door knocker like to record their lion ring motif. Another popular form of door knocker shows a hand that beats against the door with a ball.

As the equipment of the door itself is also of the door knocker often an expression of the wealth and social position of the homeowner at the time of construction of the house.