The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1905-06-30
THE ORIGIN OF BEDS
SLEEPING coucHEs CAN BE TRACED
BACK TO 700 8. c.

BACK TO 700 9. c.
They Were In Use by the Etruscans
and Were Mostly of Stone, Terra
Gotta and Marble-3cd Furnishings
of the Ancient Greeks and Romans.
The Oldest bed in existence is a
bronze Of Etruscan manufacture dat
ing from the seventh century B. G..
This was found in excavations made
at Gordon, in Asia Minor, and from
the fact that it is the only one of its
age ever unearthed among the many
other pieces of furniture found in an
cient ruins the conclusion is drawn
that beds at this early era were q nov
city
1t is sure that previous to this there
is no record OF the existence Of beds
which may be taken as authority. Pre-
historic man evidently got along quite
well without any bed to lie in, and it
was not until the life of Etrurians and
Greeks began to verge into compare
tive sXbarite luxury that the bed as a
component part Of the household was
universally recognized.
Even then the bed was more kin to
the modern couch than the article in
which civilized man today takes his re-
pose According to Greek and Roman
wall paintings, bas-reliefs and repro
auctions in sculpture, the original bed
was Il bench, often q beautifully cary
ed and decorated bench and one cover
ed with costly draperies, but still in
form a bench compared to the beds Of
today. Many Of them were made Of
terra Gotta, some of marble, and then
there is the bronze specimen which is
still in use
Etruscan wall paintings Of the fifth
and sixth centuries B. c. show that
Etrurians builded we'll when they came
to make beds, for most Of the pictures
show them as made of. stone, terra cot
ia and marble being favorite materials
In shape they We're narrow, set on legs
much like the couch of today, and piled
high with cushions. There We're two
kinds Of beds or touches in this peri
cd, one for reclining upon at mealtime
and the other for sleeping. In some in
stances the same couch was used for
both purposes.
With the early Greeks and Romans
the bed played more prominent part
in the life of the people than it does to-
day. Paintings from these times show
the bed or couch a prominent factor at
ali mealtimes and banqueting scenes,
the persons participating reclining
while they dined or carried on a con-
versation. Early scenes where the char
acters concerned are wholly mytho-
logical show them meeting death, de-
livering speeches or repos,ng idly, all
on couches of a nearly similar design.
The sleeping couch rarely occurs in this
early sculpture or painting.
In form the bed of this era was based
On principles much akin to those upon
which our beds are now made. There
are the body, legs and headpiece, all
made much as they are made today.
At first. so far as can be found, the
body was only slab Of marble laid
across two upright stones serving as
legs. Later however, there come to
view leg for each corner and q head
piece. The best examples Of modern
beds show the skill Of the ancients in
sculpture and painting and the impor-
lance with which they regarded the bed.
The legs are often notable examples Of
the carver's art, and the sides serve as
panels whereon the artist Of the day
depicted the life Of the period.
Other Greek touches have legs made
Of blocks Of wood mortised together.
Later the entire bed was made of
wood. Many of these specimens were
OF the costliest manufacture, the wood
being inlaid with ivory and other ar
ticles of ornament. Tortoise shell as
means of decorating couches seems
to have been introduced about 100 B. G.
Later silver and gold were occasionally
used.
In furnishings the ancients pursued
about the same system as is in vogue
at present. Mattresses, pillows, val
ances and loose draperies are shown In
the early vase paintings. All couches
had mattresses, but the thickness, quail
ity and kind varied with the different
periods. At first only a few skins
thrown over the body Of the bed were
used.
The pillows were of various shapes,
some being long and narrow, others
approximately square and still others
nearly round in appearance. The
Greek or Roman, of this period was
a most luxurious parsonage, as he re-
quired at least three pillows to enable
him to secure a good nights rest.
There was one for his head, one for his
elbow and one for his feet.
The mattresses and pillows were COW
cred with linen or wool. Leather to
some extent was used as a covering
for the pillows. Rare instances are
found where silk was employed as bed
covering.
A great variety Of materials was
used in stuffing both articles. The
commonest article among the Greeks
seems to have been refuse wool torn
off in carding or fulling cloth. Among
the Romans wool especially prepared