I. History -

There are two generally accepted origins of trademarks: pottery marks and the branding of livestock, both of which are believed to date to about 6,000 B.C. Marks on pottery or bricks first served the function of identifying the laborer – to prove how many pieces of a sufficient quality were made by a particular person, especially when being paid on a per-piece basis. Egyptian, Greek, Chinese and Roman pottery often bore the mark of the potter who made the piece.