Young Blonde Girl Posing In The Bed

History
The Ancient World
Early beds (8000 BC) were little more than piles of straw or some other natural material (e.g. a heap of palm leaves). An important change was raising them off the ground, to avoid draughts, dirt, and pests. Beds found in a preserved village in northern Scotland which were raised boxes made of stone and likely topped with comfortable fillers, were dated to between 3200 BC and 2200 BC. Given the increased cost though, it was only available to the wealthy. The Egyptians had high bedsteads which were ascended by steps, with bolsters or pillows, and curtains to hang round. 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 appliqués of metal, mother-of-pearl and ivory.