3,257
edits
Changes
→Early History
==Early History==
The bed develops as humans began to built long-term settlements or more permanent dwelling placesby around 7000-8000 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 moved. Early beds were mainly built from wood, straw, or had underlying stone. However, what began to change in early beds is they became raised from the floor. This became needed as many agricultural societies need raised platforms for beds, as stored agricultural food in more permanent settlements began to attract rodents and other pests. Greater use of the physical space, particularly the floors, also meant that raising a platform or level above the floor became needed for early beds (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>
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 PersianPersia, which made, essentially, an early form of water bed.<ref>For more on ancient Persian waterbeds, see: Coughlan, S. (2010). <i>The sleepyhead’s bedside companion.</i> London: Preface.</ref>
By the Bronze Age, elites and likely wealth 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 were created from expensive woods. Inlays, ivory, and metal decorations were now found on bed frames in the ancient Near East and Eastern Mediterranean. Pillows also became decorated and covered over with pillow cases made of expensive materials and embroidery. Beds were also sometimes recessed into walls or made from material that folded, a type of cot.
