Today beds come in various sizes and materials. However, beds didn’t always exist. Someone had to make one before the innovations could begin. The innovations that would bring modern beds into our homes. So, how did we get the cozy beds we know today?
THE EARLIEST KNOWN BED
While an inventor cannot be named, people have been making beds for a long time. The earliest known bed (well, a mattress really) is roughly 77, 000 years old. It was discovered in a cave in South Africa. The bed is made of plant materials with bug-repelling leaves and grasses as bedding.
THE ANCIENTS
Ancient Egyptians gave the world raised beds (along with many other things). With the bed raised off the ground pests like mice, snakes and bugs couldn’t crawl (or slither) over the mattress. The beds were made of a wooden platform, often with a carved headrest.
Wealthy Ancient Romans slept on beds made of a raised metal frame with metal supports and feather or wool stuffed mattresses. The less fortunate slept on beds with wooden frames and wool strings to hold the mattress. The poorest people slept on the floor with just a straw mattress.
BEDS OF STATUS – MEDIEVAL TIMES AND THE RENAISSANCE
While others had already had different beds for different classes, it certainly showed in Medieval beds. Rich people used beds to show off their wealth. The beds were usually made of heavy wood and raised off the floor. Some were raised so high that the sleeper needed a step stool to get in.
This period saw the creation of four-poster beds. These beds were covered in heavy canopies and velvet drapes, which kept drafts and insects off the sleeper. The mattresses were thick, stuffed with feathers and covered in fine linen sheets. Being so expensive, these beds became family heirlooms passing to the next generations.
Peasants, on the other hand, used bags stuffed with hay as mattresses. These mattresses were placed on the floor or on a simple platform. Their large beds could accommodate the whole family, but since peasants had small houses the beds would double as tables or a sitting area during the day. They used rough woolen blankets.
During the Renaissance, the poorest people still slept on a hay mattress either on the floor or raised on a simple platform. Middle-class people commonly used four-poster beds and even had a separate room just for the bed. Yes, the bedroom was catching on! Trundle beds were commonly used by family members or servants.
Four-poster beds grew even fancier, featuring ornate carvings, coloured trim, and inlaid paintings. The beds had heavy draperies on all sides. Ropes supported the over-stuffed feather mattress, which was covered with wool blankets and linen sheets. Once again, these opulent beds were passed down through the family.
GETTING BEDS FOR ALL
Springs for mattresses were invented in the 1800s. The springs added support and comfort for the sleeper. As usual, the Industrial Revolution helped make this now-commonplace item affordable and available to everyone through mass production.
MY THOUGHTS
Recently, I made a post about the history of pillows and it got me thinking about beds. At first, I thought it would be too similar to the history of pillows. As I researched though, I realized that while the two do have similarities beds have a history all their own. Which is more interesting to you, the history of pillows or of beds? Let me know in the comments!
CONCLUSION
The cozy beds we have today may not have been around since the dawn of time but that makes them all the more special. Today beds come in a variety of materials, shapes, and sizes. As you lay down on your chosen bed for the night, think about what it must’ve been like to sleep without one. As you drift off to sleep, imagine how people must’ve felt as they slept in the world’s very first beds.
While you’re at it, spare a thought or two for someone who needs a bed and doesn’t have one. Let’s not forget those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Think how it must be to sleep on the ground in the cold heart of winter.
Ever Wondered...? 