The History of the Humble Bed

We all know the importance of a quality bed and mattress for a good night of sleep to help us feel refreshed and ready for the day, but what are the origins of the humble bed, and how far have we come from the days when a bed was basically a mound of straw?Way back when, beds were nothing more than a pile of straw or a similar soft natural material which did RC Air Swimmers little more than facilitate an area which was barely softer than the hard ground. The Egyptians were the first to move on Syma s107 upgrade from this basic sleeping arrangement by crucially lifting the bed' up from the floor in an effort to avoid things such as chilly draughts in the winter months, and pests pretty much all year round. The elite of Ancient Egyptian society would sleep on beds gilded with gold and ivory, and Tutankhamen's bed was completely gilded with gold.The Roman Empire was another early civilisation that placed importance on sleeping arrangements, and Roman mattresses were typically stuffed with materials such as hay, feathers and wool. Feathers were deemed a luxury, and similarly to the Ancient Egyptians, were only afforded to the richest in society. Bedsteads and other solid parts of the bed were usually cast in bronze and inlaid with silver, with some being made completely of silver. The Romans of course used beds not only for sleeping, but had specialist beds for other activities such as a table bed' for eating, a bed designed specifically Flying angry bird for studying on, and also a bed upon which the dead were carried to the pyre.Surprisingly, beds took a step backwards during the middle ages, and many medieval folk would lie on the floor on beds of leaves covered in skin. Some used beds that encompassed mattresses stuffed with wool or hair, but generally beds were a lot simpler than their ancient counterparts.It wasn't until the Renaissance that beds again became a priority, and elaborate beds mattresses and fittings were commonplace among the rich at the time, with gildings of pearl and gold being the standard within the upper echelons of society.