The book “Early Bridges” documents bridges subject to tension or compression stressed and mixed forms according to static aspects, according to material and construction time, and documents evidence of interactions between the respective thought structures of the local population. Forged chain bridges existed in China by 67 AD at the latest. A 136 m long chain bridge from 1430 near Lhasa is documented to scale for the first time. It was removed by Chinese in 1950. Chain bridges were widespread in Tibet and Nepal. Living bridges from northeast India and semi-living bridges in Japan, as well as grass or other natural fiber suspension bridges and corbelled vault bridges in the Old and New World are shown. Early 19th century suspension bridges made of innumerable thin forged wires in Freiburg, Switzerland are discussed as the forerunners of steel cable bridges.