Pillows, the main object of our affection after a long, annoying day , right? – The soft, functional object of convenience has been around to comfort people after long days for almost 9,000 years.
Pillows were first used by wealthy people in Ancient Mesopotamia around 7,000 BC. At this time, pillows were used as a status indicator, the number of pillows a person had symbolised how wealthy and important they were. Beside this, people used pillows to solve the problem of neck, back and shoulder pain; they were also beneficial for keeping insects out of people’s hair while sleeping.
In Ancient Egypt dating back to 2055-1985 BC pillows were made of wood or stone and were especially associated with mummies and tombs for placing under the head of the deceased.
Human head was considered sacred and the essence of life so ancient Egyptian used these wooden or stone pillows to provide support to corpse’s head and keep the demons away.
The creation of softer more comfortable pillow was mastered by the Ancient Romans and Greeks. To make them more comfortable, they stuffed the pillow with feathers, reeds and straw. Just like in Mesopotamia, only upper-class people owned softer pillow, while all classes were allowed to use any pillow to give them support.
Pillows were first used in Ancient Europe as a knee support in churches so people can comfortably kneel while praying or to place the holy books on.
In Ancient China, pillows were made from different material varying from bamboo, jade, porcelain wood and bronze.