34 - Friday, April 18, 198% ~ North Shore News

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

3ed has a long history

._ THE: CONCEPT of a bed —
something comfortable to cushion
our bodies while slecping — has
been around since man’s earliest
ancestors curled up oti hide-
“covered piles of leaves to insulate
. them from the cold ground.

Over the years, beds have risen

and fallen both in height and pop-'
ularity. Perhaps’ more than any”
other ‘single piece of furniture,
. they’ve_ reflected the values,
“available | materials, . imagination.
-and technological know-how. of
their cultures — and the: lives of
their owners. ;

- In. biblical: times, <most people

; “slept on. low tables with. wooden

headrests; : Queen « Esther’s © tux-
- urious bed described in the Old:

'. Testament was actually a pile of

cushions on the ‘floor. And ©
* Nomadic tribes in’ Persia’ used an
“early. form, of the.waterbed — a
goatskin filled’ with water. :

. The Romans’, imagination and:
wealth: also: created ‘cradle-shaped
beds. with two: ‘chambers, one filled
with: swarm’: water, | ‘other:
covered; with, “a. -maltress.- Those

“. would ‘be:rocked’ by a.servant,inio :
drowsiness‘in :the. water, chamber;

“then- transported to the mattress

“and rocked to sleep: :

When Rome. fell, in- A.D. 476,

ue Beds’ went back: to basics for.sever-

_ al) centuries. During the © Dark
Ages, even wealthy families huddl-
ed together. on animal skins, while:
peasants ‘slept‘on pallets of straw.
The; dangers of medieval: times.
prompted.the construction of more.
substantial: beds’ for snfety’s sake
complete with heavy.walls, slidirig
; ;doors and hanging night lights: -

tresses. and foundations. \ The |
Greeks introduced a bedframe in-
terwoven with claborately Saced
hide strips. ‘

The. Romans constructed mat-
tresses stuffed with wool, reeds
and hay, often piling them so high
that they ‘needed ladders to climb
onto them. The. first king-size beds

— accominodating up to six people |

— debuted at bacchanalian Roman
banquets.

Louis XIV, “France's” popular

Sun King, elevated beds for the,

French peopie, both literally and
figuratively,

He reportedly owned some 413 :

~~ Like: art,” literature: and ‘music, "~~:

“ beds mirrored ‘the: glories of the
Renaissance. I

inlaid’ and: veneered ‘to, create .in-;
twicate details and striking designs:
“Mattresses, . stuffed...with “pea
shucks;'2 “Straw Or feathers, |. were
luxuriously. ‘quilted. with
brotades elvets and silks."
rf wealthy® ruling - ‘class,
soon’grew more ornate, if not
more | ‘comfortable. :The: royal bed,
. 2; Tutankhamen‘ of. Egypt
as adorned with ebony ‘and gold. ”
The*. lords; of /'Assyria-and
‘jewel-encrusted | bronze.’ in ‘Rome;
ihe notorious Emperor Nero deco-
rated ‘his bed: with’ precious’ stones
7 believed to have beneficial powers:
“As their, ‘civilizations, flourished, .. si

"Speeataing in in Factory
* Direct’ Replacement.
“Parts: for Most ele

1: Italy! and. France. .” ae
beds were: works ‘of-art themselves, : i

tich’

" celting: high throne ‘beds, from
‘which he supervised state pro-
ceedings. French aristocracy
‘followed suit: beds became objects
to display and adorn with: hand-

some fabrics and exquisite jeweled

embroidery.

Entertaining from the bed
became ‘‘de rigucur’’; some beds
were even. equipped with heaters
and other luxuries for the comfort
of visitors. .

In England, size and opulence
were hallmarks of.:the beds of
aristocracy. Many. were decked,

See Seds
“Page 36

Limit 1 Case of 12
Per Customer : :
“While 2 Quantities Last. ,

f 225. East First, North Van. _

2 LIFESTYLES

WE DOT ALL
| VOR R YOU!

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counters |

‘eKitchen &

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