Easels are known to have been in use since at least the time of the Egyptians. The excavation of King Tutankhamen’s tomb has records of small, hand-held easels. It is believed that they were used during speeches and orations as we now use flip charts.

By the early middle ages, the easels became more commonplace. These were very large vertically slanted wooden structures filling an entire room with its uprights and crossbars.