One of the Most Important Materials in Our Lives; Chair
Chairs have thousands of years of history. They came into use before Christ. Contrary to popular belief, chair design is not easy and difficult. Sitting in incorrectly designed chairs will not only cause discomfort but also may cause health problems.
Chairs in the Period of Sumerians and Egyptians
There are traces that the history of chairs dates back 6500 years. One of the oldest known evidence in history is a sculpture made of clay in 4500 BC. The sculpture is a human figure sitting on a chair with four legs and a backrest. Sumerians, one of the first communities to use chairs, are clearly visible in reliefs, statues and seals. Some of the Sumerian chairs are in the form of stools, while others have backrests and arms. Sumerian chairs have a simple structure and do not have any ornamentation. When the sculptures and reliefs are examined, it is seen that those sitting on the chair are gods, kings and high-ranking people. If any of the Sumerian gods are sitting on the chair, the king waits standing.
If the king was sitting in a chair, other people would wait standing. Chairs were one of the biggest symbols of status at that time. The chair was very important for the kings and meant an official seat for the throne administrators. The chair was a material that could only be used by high-level administrators and the dynasty family. In Egypt, the chair was used by the pharaoh, high-level officials and the pharaoh's family.
Rome, Greek Civilizations and the Chair in Europe
In Greece, there was a human figure sitting on a chair in 500 BC. These types of chairs called Klimos, which had curved legs and backrests, were used by high-level officials and state officials. In the reliefs in the Parthenon temple, the Greek god Zeus sits on a chair decorated with winged Sphinxes. Chairs in the Roman period were generally made of marble. The chairs of the upper classes were decorated with Sphinxes. Generals and high-level Senators sat on wooden chairs that opened and closed.
Chairs Designed After Modernity
Modernity shed light on the path of innovation and transformation in living spaces individually and socially. Due to opinion leaders who enlightened people, new ideas and technological developments occurred. Due to this transformation, daily life and furniture were also affected. The variety of furniture increased and became cheaper. Thus, chairs and different furniture that the public could access were produced.