Sunday, June 11, 2006

Unusual Ancient Egyptian Pillow Analyzed

April 5, 2006 — Most ancient Egyptian pillows were rather uncomfortable-looking headrests carved out of wood, ivory and stone, but scientists have just analyzed a 4,000-year-old Egyptian pillow made out of woven plant fibers that were encased in a wax coating.

The rare artifact, which dates to 2055-1985 B.C., suggests Cleopatra and other well-known ancient Egyptians may have snoozed on relatively fluffy pillows that perhaps biodegraded over time, leaving the hard headrests for modern archaeologists to find.

"If sleeping on fiber pillows and bedding occurred, it has not survived well or at all in the archaeological record of the ancient Near East," said Andy Gize, Judith Seath and Rosalie David, whose research will be published in next month's Journal of Archaeological Science.
Since the wax on the pillow appears to have come from a Dead Sea petroleum residue, the artifact also could indicate that a community of "foreigners" brought knowledge of petroleum processing and pillow making into the Sedment el-Gebel region of the western Nile Valley.

Friday, June 9, 2006

Pillows of Ancient China: Courtesy of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum


In ancient China, pillows were an integral part of the Chinese bedchamber. Yet, despite its folk origin, pillows can be found in virtually all Chinese homes. The earliest pillows were not designed as art objects but were devices for rest and comfort. As pillows slowly evolved into decorative art objects, the designs on them often reflected the sentiment of the artist in his or her distinct local style. Some of the themes in these designs included exorcising demons, averting evil influences, and promoting auspiciousness. The pillows were also made from many different materials including pottery, silk, cloth, ceramic, wood, rattan, and bamboo. Since the mid-nineteenth century, China has been subjected to ever increasing Western influence. After an initial rejection of the West, the Chinese accepted and welcomed the changes brought by the Westerners. Under these circumstances, numerous Chinese traditions, customs and artifacts including the traditional Chinese pillow have been totally discarded or replaced by their Western counterparts. As a result, a great number of folk art objects have also disappeared at an astonishing pace. Now, many members of our younger generation have no conception of what many of these artifacts were, how they were used or that they were commonly available seventy or eighty years ago.

Tuesday, June 6, 2006

When it all began!

Why the recent facination with decorative throw pillows? The truth is there is nothing recent about it.

The earliest pillows were formed wrapped around leaves or straw. The Chinese invented silken pillows and decorative antique pillows of linen have been discovered in the pyramids of ancient Egypt. Coptic woven pillows have been found in early Christian tombs. In classical Greece pillows were used to provide comfort in austere surroundings. The Romans enjoyed luxuriously upholstered couches often covered with large pillows for support and comfort.

The history of decorative pillows is intrinsically linked with that of textiles. Pillows can be created from silks, tapestries and woven fabrics. They can be printed, embroidered and adorned with trim and materials such as beads, sequins and shells. The variety is infinite. In Britain Pillows have been used at least since Medieval times. They became important in the 16th century when they were used on carved wooden furniture and oak to provide much needed comfort and luxury. They would have had sheep skin linings as in the early quilts, only later were Pillows stuffed with feathers.

The desire for more comfortable surroundings coincided with the desire for more decoration. Pillows softened the severity of the wooden furniture. The designs in the textiles mirrored those of the carved wood furniture. Pillows became more sophisticated as more fabrics arrived from abroad, notably Italy. Silks, velvets, damasks and embroideries were embellished with gold threads, crewel work, trimmings and passmenterie. Today artisitc expression in pillows continues. Many fashion designers are moving from apparel to soft furnishings, a trend that is reviving the decorative pillow as an artistic medium.

This blog is dedicated to all of those who appreciate the beauty of decorative pillows and cushions. Recognizing pillows as a very real artistic medium for self expression (a medium that also happens to serve a very functional purpose) opens up a whole new world to art and textile lovers and home decorators alike.

I invite you to share your appreciation and thoughts on decorative pillows on the Throw Pillows Online Blog.