Bed

For other uses, see Bed (disambiguation).
"The bed" by Toulouse-Lautrec (1893)
Beds in a room at Hotel Spenerhaus.
A row of cots in a Nepalese Army facility.

A bed ( listen ) is a piece of furniture used as a place to sleep or relax. It has a secondary use as a place to engage in sexual relations.[1][2]

Most modern beds consist of a soft, cushioned mattress on a bed frame, with the mattress resting either on a solid base, often wood slats, or a sprung base. Many beds include a box spring inner-sprung base, a large mattress-sized box containing wood and springs that provide additional support and suspension for the mattress. Beds are available in many sizes, ranging from infant-sized bassinets and cribs, small beds for a single child or adult, to large queen and king-size beds designed for two adults. While most beds are single mattresses on a fixed frame, there are other varieties, such as the murphy bed, which folds into a wall, the sofa bed, which folds out of a sofa, and the bunk bed, which provides two mattresses on two tiers. Temporary beds include the inflatable air mattress and the folding camp cot. Some beds contain neither a padded mattress nor a bed frame, such as the hammock.

Beds may have a headboard for resting against, with others also having side rails and footboards (or "footers"). "Headboard only" beds may incorporate a "dust ruffle", "bed skirt", or "valance sheet" to hide the bed frame. To support the head, a pillow made of a soft, padded material is usually placed on the top of the mattress. Some form of covering blanket is often used to insulate the sleeper, often bed sheets, a quilt, or a duvet, collectively referred to as bedding. Bedding is the removable non-furniture portion of a bed, which enables these components to be washed or aired out.

History

Ancient world

Tutankhamun's gilded bed from the 14th century BC

Early beds were little more than piles of straw or some other natural material (e.g. a heap of palm leaves, animal skins, or dried bracken). An important change was raising them off the ground, to avoid drafts, dirt, and pests. Bedding dated to 77,000 BC was discovered in Sibudu Cave, South Africa.[3] The bedding consists of sedge and other monocotyledons topped with the leaves of Cryptocarya woodii Engl.[3] Beds found in a preserved northern Scottish village, which were raised boxes made of stone and likely topped with comfortable fillers, were dated to between 3200 BC and 2200 BC.[4] The Egyptians had high bedsteads which were ascended by steps, with bolsters or pillows, and curtains to hang around. The elite of Egyptian society such as its pharaohs and queens even had beds made of wood, sometimes gilded. Often there was a head-rest as well, semi-cylindrical and made of stone, wood, or metal. Ancient Assyrians, Medes, and Persians had beds of a similar kind, and frequently decorated their furniture with inlays or appliques of metal, mother-of-pearl, and ivory.

Headrest with Two Images of the God Bes, ca. 1539-1190 B.C.E.,37.435E, Brooklyn Museum

The image to the right showcases a headrest. Headrests like this were used in life to support the head while sleeping. They are also found supporting a mummy’s head in the coffin. This headrest perhaps was made specifically for the tomb, since the offering prayer has been inscribed on the supporting column, although the prayer may have been added after the death of the owner.[5]

The oldest account of a bed is probably that of Odysseus: a charpoy[6] woven of rope plays a role in the Odyssey. A similar bed can be seen at the St Fagans National History Museum in Wales. Odysseus also gives an account of how he crafted the nuptial bed for himself and Penelope, out of an ancient, huge olive tree trunk that used to grow on the spot before the bridal chamber was built. His detailed description finally persuades the doubting Penelope that the shipwrecked, aged man is indeed her long-lost husband. Homer also mentions the inlaying of the woodwork of beds with gold, silver, and ivory. The Greek bed had a wooden frame, with a board at the head and bands of hide laced across, upon which skins were placed. At a later period the bedstead was often veneered with expensive woods; sometimes it was of solid ivory veneered with tortoise-shell and with silver feet; often it was of bronze. The pillows and coverings also became more costly and beautiful; the most celebrated places for their manufacture were Miletus, Corinth and Carthage. Folding beds, too, appear in the famous Ancient Greek vase paintings.

Roman mattresses were stuffed with reeds, hay, or wool. Feathers were used towards the end of the Republic, when custom demanded luxury. Small cushions were placed at the head and sometimes at the back. The bedsteads were high and could only be ascended by the help of steps. They were often arranged for two people, and had a board or railing at the back, as well as the raised portion at the head. The counterpanes were sometimes very costly, generally purple embroidered with figures in gold; and rich hangings fell to the ground masking the front. The bedsteads themselves were often of bronze inlaid with silver, and Elagabalus had one of solid silver. In the walls of some houses at Pompeii bed niches are found which were probably closed by curtains or sliding partitions. Ancient Romans had various kinds of beds for repose. These included:

Medieval Europe

Bedroom on the Detmold Open-air Museum premises

The ancient Germans lay on the floor on beds of leaves covered with skins, or in a kind of shallow chest filled with leaves and moss. In the early Middle Ages they laid carpets on the floor or on a bench against the wall, placed upon them mattresses stuffed with feathers, wool, or hair, and used skins as a covering. Curtains were hung from the ceiling or from an iron arm projecting from the wall.[8] They appear to have generally lain naked in bed, wrapping themselves in large linen sheets which were stretched over the cushions.

Southampton Medieval Merchant's House bedroom

In the 12th century, luxury increased and bedsteads were made of wood much decorated with inlaid, carved, and painted ornamentation. They also used folding beds, which served as couches by day and had cushions covered with silk laid upon leather. At night a linen sheet was spread and pillows placed, while silk-covered skins served as coverlets. The Carolingian manuscripts show metal bedsteads much higher at the head than at the feet, and this shape continued in use until the 13th century in France, many cushions being added to raise the body to a sloping position. In 12th-century manuscripts, the bedsteads appear much richer, with inlays, carving, and painting, and with embroidered coverlets and mattresses in harmony. Curtains were hung above the bed and a small hanging lamp is often shown.

In the 14th century the woodwork became of less importance, generally being entirely covered by hangings of rich materials. Silk, velvet, and even cloth of gold were frequently used. Inventories from the beginning of the 14th century give details of these hangings lined with fur and richly embroidered. It was then that the Four poster bed (also known as a tester bed) made its first appearance, the bed being slung from the ceiling or fastened to the walls, a form which developed later into a room within a room, shut in by double curtains, sometimes even to exclude all drafts. The space between bed and wall was called the ruelle, and very intimate friends were received there. The 14th century is also the time when feather beds became highly prized possessions.[8]

In the 15th century beds became very large, reaching 7 to 8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 m) by 6 to 7 feet (1.8 to 2.1 m). The mattresses were often filled with pea-shucks, straw, or feathers. At this time great personages were in the habit of carrying most of their property about with them, including beds and bed-hangings, and for this reason the bedsteads were for the most part mere frameworks to be covered up; but about the beginning of the 16th century bedsteads were made lighter and more decorative, since the lords remained in the same place for longer periods.

Renaissance and modern Europe

In the 17th century, which has been called "the century of magnificent beds", the style a la duchesse, with tester and curtains only at the head, replaced the more enclosed beds in France, though they lasted much longer in England. Louis XIV had an enormous number of sumptuous beds, as many as 413 being described in the inventories of his palaces. Some of them had embroideries enriched with pearls, and figures on a silver or golden ground. The great bed at Versailles had crimson velvet curtains on which "The Triumph of Venus" was embroidered. So much gold was used that the velvet scarcely showed.

Napoleon I's bed

In the 18th century feather pillows were first used as coverings in Germany, which in the fashions of the bed and the curious etiquette connected with the bedchamber followed France for the most part. The beds were a la duchesse, but in France itself there was great variety both of name and shape. The custom of the "bed of justice" upon which the king of France reclined when he was present in parliament, the princes being seated, the great officials standing, and the lesser officials kneeling, was held to denote the royal power even more than the throne.

Louis XI is credited with its first use and the custom lasted till the end of the monarchy. In the chambre de parade, where the ceremonial bed was placed, certain persons, such as ambassadors or great lords, whom it was desired to honour, were received in a more intimate fashion than the crowd of courtiers. At Versailles women received their friends in their beds, both before and after childbirth, during periods of mourning, and even directly after marriage—in fact in any circumstances which were thought deserving of congratulation or condolence. During the 17th century this curious custom became general, perhaps to avoid the tiresome details of etiquette. Portable beds were used in high society in France till the end of the Ancien Régime. The earliest of which mention has been found belonged to Charles the Bold. They had curtains over a light framework, and were in their way as fine as the stationary beds.

Iron beds appear in the 18th century; the advertisements declare them as free from the insects which sometimes infested wooden bedsteads. Elsewhere, there was also the closed bed with sliding or folding shutters, and in England—where beds were commonly quite simple in form—the four poster was the usual citizen's bed until the middle of the 19th century.

Bed sizes

Main article: Bed size

Bed sizes vary considerably around the world, with most countries having their own standards and terminology. While the "double" size appears to be standard among English speaking countries, based on the imperial measurement of 4 ft 6 in by 6 ft 3 in (137 cm x 190 cm), the sizes for other bed types tend to vary. The mainland European sizes differ, not merely because of the use of the metric system.

In the mid-1950s the U.S. bedding industry introduced a new size, the king size.[9] A king-sized bed differs from the other sizes in implementation, as it is not common to have a king-sized box spring; rather, two smaller box-springs are used under a king-sized mattress. It is a common misconception that in a U.S. "standard" or "Eastern king", the box springs are identical in size to a "twin extra-long"; however, "twin extra-long" mattresses next to each other add up to 78 inches (200 cm) wide instead of the 76 inches (190 cm) width that is standard for an "eastern king". Another size variant in the United States is the "California king", which measures 72 by 84 inches (180 cm × 210 cm) long (narrower but longer than the standard king).

What is referred to as a "single bed" in many parts of the world may also be known in U.S. terminology as a "twin bed." In some countries, a "twin bed" may also be used to describe one of two single beds in the same room. As another example, in some cultures, the "full mattress" is referred to as a "master size bed."

When a mattress is available in fixed size (for example, twin or queen), and the description does not specify the exact size, this table may be used.

Mattress size Size in inches Size in cm
Cot size 30" wide x 74" long 76x188
Twin 39" wide x 75" long 99x190
Twin extra long 39" wide x 80" long 99x203
Full size 54" wide x 75" long 137x190
Queen size 60" wide x 80" long 153x203
Cal-king 72" wide x 84" long 183x214
King size 76" wide x 80" long 193x203

All mattresses are made according to certain standards, but different brands sometimes have exceptions. Most often, the difference is 2-5 inches. When calling a business to check, specify the exact size of the mattress.

Notable beds

The Great Bed of Ware, one of the largest beds in the world

One of the largest beds in the world is the Great Bed of Ware, made in about 1580. It is 3.26 metres (10.7 ft) wide, 3.38 metres (11.1 ft) long. The bed is mentioned by Shakespeare in Twelfth Night. It is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London. Another bed in the V&A is the Golden Bed created by William Burges in 1879.[10]

In 1882, an Indian Maharajah had a bed made of solid silver. At each corner of the bed there was a life-sized statue of a naked woman holding a fan. When the Maharajah lay on the bed, his weight started a mechanism that made the women wave their fans.

Around 1865, one could acquire a convertible bed in the form of an upright piano, which could provide home entertainment while saving space.[11]

Types

Lit à la Polonaise (Polish style bed),[12] Royal Castle in Warsaw, 18th century.
Patent #322,177, on 14 July 1885 issued to Sarah E. Goode for a cabinet bed
Drawing of a candle-lit mourning bed (Trauergerüst) for abbess Franziska Christine von Pfalz-Sulzbach, 1776
Chinese style beds

There are many varieties of beds:

Bed frames

Main article: Bed frame

Bed frames, also called bed steads, are made of wood or metal. The frame is made up of head, foot, and side rails. For heavy duty or larger frames (such as for queen- and king-sized beds), the bed frame also includes a center support rail. These rails are assembled to create a box for the mattress or mattress/box spring to sit on.

Types of bed frames include:

Though not truly parts of a bed frame, headboards, footboards, and bed rails can be included in the definition. Headboards and footboards can be wood or metal. They can be stained, painted, or covered in fabric or leather.

Bed rails are made of wood or metal and are attached to a headboard and footboard. Wooden slats are placed perpendicular to the bed rails to support the mattress/mattress box spring.

Bed rails and frames are often attached to the bed post using knock-down fittings.[14][15] A knock-down fitting enables the bed to be easily dismantled for removal. Primary knock-down fittings for bed rails are as follows:

Safety rails,[16] or cot sides, can be added to the sides of a bed (normally a child or elderly person's bed) to stop anyone falling out of the sides of the bed. A safety rail is normally a piece of wood that attaches to the side rails on one or both sides of the bed. They are made so that they can be easily removed when no longer required.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Bed". The Free Dictionary By Farlex. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  2. ↑ "Bed". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  3. 1 2 Wadley L, Sievers C, Bamford M, Goldberg P, Berna F, Miller C. (2011). Middle Stone Age Bedding Construction and Settlement Patterns at Sibudu, South Africa. Science 9 December 2011: Vol. 334 no. 6061 pp. 1388-1391
  4. ↑ "Skara Brae – The Furniture". orkneyjar.com.
  5. ↑ "Headrest with Two Images of the God Bes". Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  6. ↑ http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charpoy
  7. ↑  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "article name needed". Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (first ed.). James and John Knapton, et al. "BED". History of Science and Technology.
  8. 1 2 "Medieval Furniture & Home Decor". furniturestyles.net. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
  9. ↑ "Even Beds Go King-Size" Popular Mechanics, December 1954, p.128, bottom of page.
  10. ↑ "The Golden Bed". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  11. ↑ Brooklyn Museum. "Decorative Arts: Convertible Bed in Form of Upright Piano". Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  12. ↑ (English) "Bed (Lit à la Polonaise)". getty.edu. Archived from the original on 1 March 2009. Retrieved 26 January 2009.
  13. ↑ "Captain’s bed". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  14. ↑ "Historical Guide: Bed Hardware". whitechapel-ltd.com.
  15. ↑ "Bed Rail Fastener Options". home-improvement-and-financing.com.
  16. ↑ "Picture". srbworld.com. Retrieved 26 November 2010.

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Beds
Look up bed in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beds.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, May 04, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.