Changes

__NOTOC__[[File:3105187 4d8a404b.jpeg|thumbnail|300px|left|Figure 1. Skara Brae in Orkney, UK, showing an early Neolthic house with platforms for beds.]]We spend much of our lives in beds and numerous adverts discuss the merits of different types of . We obsess about our beds that . Bed stores seem like they are intended to give in every strip center. Advertisements promise us better sleep and a good night while peddling comfortzones or space age foams. TodayRemarkably, even today what represents a bed differs greatly from culture to culture. The history of the bed, like most furniture, has been shaped by its complex development. It is, on the one hand, an essential item of furniture, but for different cultures it has varied as an important object of cultural value to simply a utilitarian furniture piece.

The bed develops as humans began to built long-term settlements or more permanent dwelling placesby around 8000-7000 BCE. Before this time, beds were mostly ad hoc construction that would have been made from surrounding materials (e.g., straw or twigs) and often discarded as human populations movedor easily packed. Early beds were mainly built from wood, straw, or had underlying stone. However, what began to change in early agricultural societies is that beds is they became began to be raised from the flooras settlement places developed. This became needed as many agricultural societies need needed raised platforms for beds, as stored agricultural food in more permanent settlements began to attract agriculture also attracted rodents and other peststhat now also came to humans' homes. Greater use of the physical space in homes, particularly the floors, also meant that raising a platform or level above the floor became needed for early bedsto avoid the dirt and other activities going on (Figure 1).<ref>For more on early beds in the pre-Neoltihic and early settled societies, see: Robinson, Vincent Joseph. 2001. Ancient Furniture and Other Works of Art. Adamant Media Corporation. </ref>[[File:Tutankhamun-bed.jpeg|thumbnail|300px|left|Figure 2. Bed frame made of wood from the tomb of Tutankhamun.]]While platforms of wood or stone raised the bed from the floor, cushioning was needed for a softer sleep. This led to the development of different materials, ranging from textiles stuffed with soft materials such as leaves, to other, less harsh forms of cushioning from basic materials, including feathers. Other innovations included filling a leather cushion made of goat skin with water, such as used in ancient Persia, which made, essentially, an early form of waterbed.<ref>For more on ancient Persian waterbeds, see: Coughlan, S. (2010). <i>The sleepyhead’s bedside companion.</i> London: Preface.</ref>

While platforms By the Bronze Age (3000 BCE), elites and likely wealthy classes, had begun to make specific bed frames, often made of wood (Figure 2). The frames not only made beds portable, but they also allowed beds to become decorative and media of art. Frames began to be decorated or stone raised the were created from expensive woods. Inlays, ivory, and metal decorations were now found on bed from frames in the floor, cushioning was needed for a softer sleepancient Near East and Eastern Mediterranean. This led to the development Pillows also became decorated and covered over with pillow cases made of different expensive materials, ranging and embroidery. Beds were also sometimes recessed into walls or made from textiles stuffed with soft materials such as leavesmaterial that folded, to othera type of cot that could be stored.<ref>For more on early Bronze Age beds, less harsh forms of cushioning from basic materialssee: Bottéro, including feathersJ. Other innovations included filling a cushion with water, such as used & Finet, A. (2001). Everyday life in ancient PersianMesopotamia. Baltimore, which made, essentially, an early form of water bedMD: Johns Hopkins University Press.</ref>

By During the Bronze Age, elites and likely wealth classes, had begun to make specific bed frames, often made of wood. The frames not only made beds portable, but they also allowed beds to become decorative and media of art. Frames began to be decorated or were created from expensive woodssymbolically associated with the life cycle. InlaysWhile, ivoryon the one hand, and metal decorations beds were now found on the creators of life, such as the marital or sexual bed frames in , they were also the ancient final resting place. In underground chambers used for burials for Mediterranean and Near East societies, beds were made into the chambers and Eastern Mediterraneanthe deceased were placed in a sleeping position. Pillows also became decorated and covered over with pillow cases made In essence, the burial of expensive materials and embroidery. Beds the dead was seen as one's eternal resting, where gifts were also sometimes recessed into walls or made from material showered on the sleeping departed. Even for cultures that foldedburned their dead, such as Indo-Aryan groups, the funeral pyre was often shaped as a type of cotbed.<ref>For more on the life cycle, beds, burials, and their association with households, see: Robben, A. C. G. M. (Ed.). (2004). <i>Death, mourning, and burial: a cross-cultural reader.</i> Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub. </ref>

By In the Bronze AgeRoman period, five different types of beds began to be symbolically associated with the life cyclewere known. WhileBeds were used for eating, studying, on burying the one handdead, for lovemaking, and normal sleeping. The Romans differentiated these with different words and this may have also meant that different beds were the creators used for each of lifethese activities.<ref>For more on Roman beds, such as the marital bedsee: Williams, they were also S. J. (2005). <i>Sleep and society: sociological ventures into the final resting place(un)known--. In underground chambers used for burials for Mediterranean and Near East societies</i> Milton Park, beds were made and deceases were placed in a sleeping positionOxfordshire N.Y. In essence, the burial of the dead was seen as one's eternal restingNY: Routledge. </ref>

==Cultural Diversity==Societies in east Asia, particularly China, Korea, and Japan, developed a floor-based culture for many activities, including eating and sleeping. One main reason has to do with cooling and heating for different months. Heating, for instance, was done underneath floors, which meant that sleeping on the floor more directly, with only a thin mattress, would be more practical, as greater heat would be felt. In summer months, being nearer to the floor would also be cooler. Furthermore, the Roman periodfloor was seen as where sitting would take place in, thus the bed became the primary social space in eastern Asian societies. Beds such as the <i>kang</i> became the spaces that many social activities revolved around, five different types but they were practical as it allowed easy heating of this space without having to create smoky rooms for heating such as found in many ancient and medieval homes in Europe and other colder climates.<ref> For more on eastern beds, see: Liu, T.S. (2016). Environmental history in east asia: interdisciplinary perspectives. (2016). Routledge, pg. 110.</ref> <dh-ad/> In Europe, leather or rope was used in the framing. This probably led to the expression "sleep tight" as the rope or leather would loosen over time as the bed was used. Beds were often used as chairs and tables, as limited space in smaller homes with large families meant beds were knowngenerally not seen as a standalone piece of furniture. On the other hand, royalty and wealthy individuals used their beds for different activities. Beds Formal beds were sometimes used as reception rooms to receive guests. A second bed might be kept for eatingsleeping and sexual activity. It was also quite common to share beds, studyingeven with strangers, burying as bedding space was often limited in inns and other places for the deadpublic.<ref>For more on Medieval beds in Europe, for lovemakingsee: Forgeng, and normal sleepingJ. L. (2013). <i>The Romans differentiated these with Middle Ages: everyday life in medieval Europe.</i></ref> During the Medieval period, beds in different words and regions began to develop canopies or curtains. While this may have provided privacy, the idea was it also meant protected against insects and other pests that different might be around at night. The curtains also allowed for warmth and protected against drafts, which were seen as harmful.<ref>For more on Medieval beds , see: Johnston, R. A. (2011). All things medieval: an encyclopedia of the medieval world. Santa Barbara, Calif: Greenwood.</ref> The Vikings (or Danes/Norsemen) were known to use a style of bunk bed, where cupboards were used for fashioned into beds that could then be stacked on to each other. The intent was to use this style of these activitiesbedding to save room so that they can be moved during the day or multiple people can sleep in an area more easily. The Danes and Norse also built beds with slates that could also be easily placed inside small boats and be taken apart to move inside and outside of boats.<ref>For more on Dane/Norse bed designs, see: Green, J., & Bergin, M. (2002). <i>Gods & goddesses in the daily life of the Vikings.</i> London: Hodder Wayland, pg. 75.</ref>