• INTRODUCTION

    The first symbols of drawings appeared in the deep antiquity, when primitive man stood on two legs and there was a need to spread information supported by symbols on rocks or animal bones. Just as certain sounds helped people of that time to share necessary knowledge, symbols also served this purpose. Later, the projects of fortresses, temples, and other buildings were born directly on the surface of the earth. The combination of lines and symbols became the beginning of graphic information. A drawing had to go a long way to become what we understand it to be today. It is questionable whether it would have been possible if everyone had conveyed the necessary graphic information in a way that only he or she understood, without the rules formed throughout the entire process of graphic development. A drawing, i.e. a technical document, is a product of engineering language, so without knowledge of the requirements applied to it, it is impossible to understand it exactly as reading a text in a foreign language without knowing the meaning of its words or alphabet. A document that establishes general rules for a technical document is called a standard. International (ISO), European (EN), and Lithuanian (LST) standards apply in Lithuania. And although the application of standards is usually voluntary, they ensure the quality of the drawing. Knowledge and use of them in drawings give engineers confidence and a guarantee of communication with other project partners.