The history of mirrors dates back thousands of years, when our ancestors would use natural bodies of water, like lakes and ponds, as the first reflective surfaces, intrigued by their own images seen in these transient reflections. Curiosity led to experimentation with polished stones and metals, such as obsidian, copper, and bronze, to create rudimentary mirrors across various ancient civilizations.

The Ancient Greeks and Romans advanced mirror technology by using polished metal, particularly bronze and copper, to produce small, handheld mirrors. Despite their limitations, such as tarnishing and distorted reflections, these metal mirrors were a symbol of wealth and power and were widely used throughout antiquity.