Water bottles as containers have a very long history going back to ancient times, with early vessels made from materials like animal skins, clay, glass, or ceramics used for carrying water. The first recorded commercial water bottling was in 1622 at the Holy Well in the United Kingdom, where water was bottled and sold for its perceived healing properties. Glass bottles sealed with corks were used for this purpose. The modern concept of the plastic water bottle, however, is credited to American inventor Nathaniel Wyeth, who in 1973 patented a variant of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic that was strong enough to hold carbonated liquids. This invention led to the widespread use of lightweight, recyclable, and virtually unbreakable plastic bottles for water and other beverages. Thus, while water bottles in some form have existed for centuries, Nathaniel Wyeth is regarded as the inventor of the modern plastic water bottle technology widely used today.
