The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-06-16
BEDSTEAD EVOLUTION.
Development of the Modern Article
from Ancient Style.

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twenty-five years in bed. Under
the circumstances, then, it is no
wonder if the bed has occupied a
great deal of mans attention. It
is even supposed-and with good
reason-that the bed was mans
first effort at furniture-making.
The character Of the first bed
varied in accordance with the phys
ical conditions of the part of the
world where the man lived. In
dry or cold part heap of leaves
covered with skins made the bed,
but in a warmer latitude, or where
the earth was moist, branches of
trees or hanging vines were inter-
woven. The latter foreshadows the
hammock, while the former is the
prototype of the sturdy bedstead,
with it's luxurious mattress.
In the earlier times, when. man
was still nomadic, but had arrived
at the luxury of a tent, the bed of
skins, as being easily transported,
was in vogue, and afterward when
man had ceased his wandering life
and was engaged in the pursuit of
agriculture, which forced him to
make his home permanently in one
place, he still made his bed of skins,
but now gave it, too, permanent
place, a fixed corner in his hut.
By and by, as people gathered
into communities and there came
to be some protection for personal
property, the loose leaves or straw
were conveniently gathered into a
bag of skin or cloth, and the mat
tress was born. Then, for the pres
ervation of the mattress from dirt
or dampness, rude platform was
constructed and the bedstead came
into being. With security came
wealth, and with wealth leisure and
luxury. Men no longer threw them
selves upon their beds all clad as
they came from their occupation,
but undressed and drew warm
covering over themselves. Luxury
made delicacy, and men in their
low beds felt the draughts that
swept under the rude doors and
circled about the cold floors. So
they raised their platforms on stur-
dy logs. But still the draughts
were annoying and posts were
erected at the head of the bed, so
that canopy might be hung to
shield the sleeper. Even yet, how
ever, he was not sufficiently pro-
tected from the insidious draught,
for he was growing more and more
softened by luxury, and finally he
put up posts at the foot of his bed
and inclosed himself with curtains
all about.
It is interesting to note how it is
the bed and not the house which
keeps pace with man IN his advance
ment. Some attention to doors and
windows would have kept out the
draughts, but many centuries passed
before improvements in them were
instituted. And when these inn
provements were made how quickly
the bed was modified to suit the
new conditions. First the curtains
were taken down and then the posts.
The ancient Egyptian had no
great need of an elaborate bed, and
yet his nights were too cool for the
hammock. The ordinary bed was
a wicker-work of palm branches,
and never advanced beyond SIM
pie work, though the wealthier
classes made their couches luxuri-
Gus with silk and fine linen.
/ Neither did the Greek ever get
beyond simple form of raised
bedstead, though he, too, in his
time of luxury, employed costly
woods in it's construction and in
laid it with precious metals and
ivory. The bedstead was made
slightly raised at the head; mat
tresses were stuffed with wool and
feathers and linen sheets and woolen
blankets were used for covering.
The Roman used substantially
the same form of bedstead as the
Greek, but advanced far beyond
him in extravaganza and luxury.
Bedsteads were not only made OF
wood and inlaid with precious met
ais, but in one case, at least, the
entire bedstead was made of pre-
cious metal. The Emperor Hello
gabalus had bedstead made Of
solid silver, and then, as one item
in the list of his extravagances.
had his bed stuffed with feathers
taken from under the wings of
partridges.
In different parts of Europe the
bedstead passed through the same
great changes, but in each separate
part minor notifications of form
and character were experienced. In
one part of Holland the bedstead
is set like cupboard in the peti-
ton, and is shut out from view by
sliding doors. In another part the
bed is so high that step-ladder il
required to step into it. It is from
Holland that we get the custom
: practiced to this day in some parts
!, of our country, of sleeping between