Furniture has been a part of the human experience since the development of non-nomadic cultures. Evidence of furniture survives from the Neolithic Period and later in antiquity in the form of paintings such as the wall murals discovered at Pompeii; sculpture and examples have been excavated in Egypt and found in tombs in Ghiordes, in modern-day Turkey. People have been using natural objects, such as tree stumps, rocks, and moss, as furniture since the beginning of human civilization. Archaeological research shows that from around 30,000 years ago, people started to construct and carve their own furniture, using wood, stone, and animal bones. Early furniture from this period is known from artwork such as a Venus figurine found in Russia, depicting the goddess on a throne. The first surviving extant furniture is in the homes of Skara Brae in Scotland and includes cupboards, dressers, and beds all constructed from stone.
A dresser with shelves furnish in a house in Skara Brae that was occupied from about 3180-2500 BC | Source: Google.com
While it is believed that human beings may have been making rudimentary furniture as long ago as 12,000 B.C. The only evidence of this very early activity remains in the form of stone carvings. Such as the earliest surviving examples of furniture can be found right in the UK at the ancient Scottish settlement of Skara Brae in Orkney. The Scottish people have an enduring reputation as being some of the finest craftsmen on Earth, and the neolithic furniture at Skara Brae shows that.
Because of the durability of stone and the wind blown sand that encased the settlement for an astonishing 4000 years, archaeologists were able to enter Skara Brae in much the same state as its original inhabitants left it. Arranged carefully throughout the stone and earth dwellings they found dressers used as we would use them today. To store valuables and other items, tables replete with water vases, storage shelves and cupboards, limpet tanks, and beds on which the inhabitants placed mattresses of straw and heather. Though these artifacts look relatively plain to an untrained eye, when we consider the obstacles standing in the way of their construction, their true sophistication soon becomes evident.
A dresser with shelves furnish in a house in Skara Brae that was occupied from about 3180-2500 BC | Source: Pinterest
Everything has a history. Furniture has been made in many materials and many styles, but few things have defined it as consistently as wood. As a material, wood is generally available, is soft enough to easily work with, light enough to move, and sturdy enough to last. As a result, wooden furnishings have played a big role in human history. In Kaliuda Gallery, you can find various furniture & home decorations in Bali. We are one of the best Bali furniture stores and antique galleries with the best quality and service. If you have any questions or want to “ask for a quotation”. Please don’t hesitate to contact us here.