Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-06-21
fro BE Continued
THE ORIGIN OF BEDS
SLEEPING coucHes CAN BE TRACED
BACK TO 700 3. C.

BACK TO 700 3. C.
They Were In Use by the Etruscans
nnd Were Mostly of Stone, Terra
Gotta and Mnrble-Bcd Furnishings
of the Ancient Greeks md Romans.
The Oldest bed in existence is Il
bronze of Etruscan manufacture dat
ing from the seventh century Il. G..
This was found in excavations made
at Gordon, in Asia Minor, and from
the fact that 1t 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 We're 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 IL
was not until the life of Etrurians and
Greeks began to verge into compare
tive sybarite luxury that the bed as u
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 n bench, often Il beautifully cary
ed and decorated bench and one cover
ed with costly draperies, but still in
today. Many of them We're 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. G. show that
these couches We're plentiful then. The
Etrurians Duilded well when they came
to make beds, for most of the pictures
show them as made of stone, terra cot
ta 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 were 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
| oil ln
the persons participating reclining
F.! while they dined or carried on con
| versation. Early scenes where the char.
acters concerned are wholly mytho
logical show them meeting death, de.
livering speeches or reposing idly, all
on couches Of n 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, al
made much as they are made today
AT first, SO far as can be found, thu
body was only a slab Of marble laid
across two upright stones serving as
legs. Later. however, there come tt
view leg for each corner and head
| piece. The best examples OF modern
beds show the skill of the ancients il
sculpture and painting and the impor
lance with Which they regarded the bed
The legs are often notable examples OF
the carvers art, and the sides serve AZ
panels whereon the artist of the da!
depicted the life Of the period.
| Other Greek couches have legs made
of blocks of wood mortised together
Later the entire bed was made o.
wood. Many Of these specimens wer,
of the costliest manufacture, the WOOD
being inlaid with ivory and other ar
ticles of ornament. Tortoise shell u.
a means Of decorating couches seem.
to have been introduced about 100 B. G
Later silver and gold were occasionall,
used.
In furnishings the ancients pursued
about the same system as is in vogue
Mt present. Mattresses, pillows, val
ances and loose draperies are shown II
the carly vase paintings. All couche
had mattresses. but the thickness, quail
ty and kind varied with the differen
periods. At first only Il few skim
thrown over the body OF the bed wer'
used.
The pillows were of various shapes
some being long and narrow, Others
approximately square and still other
nearly round in appearance. Thu
Greek or Roman of this period wa
II most luxurious parsonage, as he re
| qulred at least three pillows to enable
him to secure Il good nights rest
There was one for his head, one for hi
elbow and one for his feet.
The mattresses and pillows were GOV
cred with linen or wool. Leather t
some extent was used as GOVERN,
for the pillows. Rare instances ar,
found where silk was employed as be-
covering.
A great variety of materials wa
used in stuifing both articles. TIL
commonest article among the Greek
seems to have been refuse wool tori
off i'll curding or fulling cloth. Amoni
the Romans wool especially prepare,
was the favoiite article for this pur
pose. Straw and rushes were uset
largely by the poor classes. Feathe
pillows are first mentioned as being il
existence in the fourth century. I'll
J draDe,ies and hangiags we're in man,