Kite History
The kite was originally used as a message for a rescue mission. The kite was also used for measuring distances, testing the wind, lifting men, signaling, and communication for military operations. When the kite was introduced in India it evolved into a fighter kite, known as a patang. Kites were also known throughout Polynesia which the knowledge thought to diffuse from China. Anthropomorphic kites were made from cloth and wood were used in religious ceremonies to send prayers to the gods. The kites were late to arrive in Europe and believed to be brought back by Marco Polo. By the 18th and 19th century the kites were being used as vehicles for scientific research. between 1860 and 1910 was considered the "golden age of kiting".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kite
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kite