▁rail , ▁bottom ▁rail , ▁and ▁middle ▁or ▁intermediate ▁rails . ▁ ▁The ▁most ▁ancient ▁doors ▁were ▁made ▁of ▁tim ber , ▁such ▁as ▁those ▁referred ▁to ▁in ▁the ▁Bib lic al ▁dep iction ▁of ▁King ▁Sol omon ' s ▁temple ▁being ▁in ▁o live ▁wood ▁( I ▁Kings ▁vi . ▁ 3 1 - 3 5 ), ▁which ▁were ▁car ved ▁and ▁over la id ▁with ▁gold . ▁The ▁doors ▁dw elt ▁upon ▁in ▁H omer ▁appear ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁c ased ▁in ▁silver ▁or ▁br ass . ▁Besides ▁o live ▁wood , ▁el m , ▁ced ar , ▁o ak ▁and ▁cy press ▁were ▁used . ▁A ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 - year - old ▁door ▁has ▁been ▁found ▁by ▁arch ae olog ists ▁in ▁Switzerland . ▁ ▁All ▁ancient ▁doors ▁were ▁hung ▁by ▁p iv ots ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁and ▁bottom ▁of ▁the ▁h anging ▁st ile ▁which ▁worked ▁in ▁so ckets ▁in ▁the ▁l int el ▁and ▁s ill , ▁the ▁latter ▁being ▁always ▁in ▁some ▁hard ▁stone ▁such ▁as ▁bas alt ▁or ▁gran ite . ▁Those ▁found ▁at ▁N ipp ur ▁by ▁Dr . ▁Hil pre cht ▁d ating ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁BC ▁were ▁in ▁dol er ite . ▁The ▁ten ons ▁of ▁the ▁gates ▁at ▁Bal aw at ▁were ▁she athed ▁with ▁bronze ▁( now ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Museum ). ▁These ▁doors ▁or ▁gates ▁were ▁hung ▁in ▁two ▁leaves , ▁each ▁about ▁ ▁wide ▁and ▁ ▁high ; ▁they ▁were ▁enc ased