The harmonies have been with us for centuries and most certainly had its start in Europe with classical music. It is the naming of the chords that haven't. If one goes back as recent as the 1920s (recent in music) you will not see chord names above the sheet music. Often times, there will be the guitar fret symbols but never the chord names. Even, by the 1930s, they were the basic chord names, i.e., Maj. min, aug, (+) dim, (o) and 7th chords. By the very late 30s, one started seeing, C7-9th, Cmi7-5 and by the late 40s and into the 50s, Db9b13, etc. This was seen on American popular standards, i.e., Tin Pan Alley. I believe the rest of the world followed suite.