ANCIENT GREEK

FURNITURE
[2000-3000 BC]

SUBMITTED BY AMI DOBARIYA

 ANCIENT GREECE – HISTORY
• People have been living in Greece for over 40,000 years. The Minoans were the
first great Greek civilization.

• They didn't live on mainland Greece but on the nearby island of Crete,

between 2200BC and 1450BC.

• They were known as the Minoans after their legendary king, Minos.

• After the Mycenaean age ended in about 1100BC, Greece entered a Dark Age. It is
known as a dark age because nobody knows much about what happened - all written
language and art disappeared.
• In 800BC, almost 300 years after the Dark Age began, Greek civilization slowly emerged
again.

• The Greeks started trading more with the outside world, held the first Olympic Games and
they fought off the invading Persian army.

• This period is known by historians as the Archaic period of Greek history.

•  They were fine builders and traders, but they were also great soldiers.

• Around 480BC Greece entered a golden age which lasted for 200 years.

• The people built fantastic temples, made scientific discoveries, wrote plays and founded the
first proper democracy. Historians call this Classical Greece.

• • Ancient Greek civilization was at its zenith during the Classical era, from 499 BC to 79 BC.
 ANCIENT GREECE –LOCATION

• There was never one country called ‘ancient Greece’. Instead, Greece was
divided up into small city-states, like Athens, Sparta, Corinth and
Olympia.

• Each city-state ruled itself. They had their own governments,

laws and army. Someone living in Sparta would call themselves Spartan
first, and Greek second.
 GREECK PEOPLE
• About 2,500 years ago Greece was one of the most important places in the ancient
world.
• The Greeks were great thinkers, warriors, writers, actors, athletes, artists,
architects and politicians.
• The Greeks called themselves Hellenes and their land was Hellas.
• The name ‘Greeks’ was given to the people of Greece later by the Romans. They
lived in mainland Greece and the Greek islands, but also in colonies scattered around
the Mediterranean Sea.
• There were Greeks in Italy, Sicily, Turkey, North Africa, and as far west as France.
• They sailed the sea to trade and find new lands. The Greeks took their ideas with
them and they started a way of life that's similar to the one we have today.
• The early Greeks were encouraged to be great thinkers and philosophers. Their
scientists and mathematicians laid the groundwork that made today's scientific
discoveries possible.
 ANCIENT GREECK’S LIFESTYLE
• They loved to gather together to discuss concepts, ideas, religion, and
politics, spending much time in the agora(marketplace)in conversation
and argument.

• Ancient Greeks were great lovers of beauty, art, literature, and drama,
and enjoyed listening to stories ,fables and legends.
 GREEK CULTURE
• Greek culture can be said to have begun with the Bronze Age civilization of the
Minoans in Crete.

• The Minoans built vast palaces, and were skilled in metalwork, pottery, artwork
and the crating of jewellery, Civilization on the Greek mainland followed closely
behind that of Crete, and Greece soon became the cultural center of the ancient
world.

• The Greeks made important contributions to philosophy, mathematics,

astronomy, and medicine.

• Literature and theatre was an important aspect of Greek culture and influenced
modern drama.
• The Greeks were known for their sophisticated sculpture and
architecture.

• Greek culture influenced the Roman Empire and many other civilizations,
and it continues to influence modern cultures today.

• Modern life in Western civilization has many of its roots and background in
ancient Greece.

• Much of ancient Greek culture such as drama, art, architecture,

literature, mythology, and the Olympic games all began in one small
country Europe.
 ANCIENT GREEK FURNITURE
• The Greek history of furniture can be traced back to the heritage of Egyptian
furniture. The earliest Greek civilizations borrowed styles and ideas from Egypt,
but by the Classical era, designs had subtly changed to a style that was uniquely
Greek.

• Lines became softer, much use was made of subtle and elegant curves, and more
attention was given to comfort. Although almost no furniture has survived the
centuries, Greek artwork such as pottery decorations and friezes depict daily
Greek life in Greek homes, and this has given us an accurate idea of early Greek
furniture designs.

• Early Greek furniture was largely influenced from furniture crafted by the Egyptians.
Unlike Egypt, Greece had enough timber for furniture making.
• It is a picture of comparative simplicity, at least in the earlier periods; for the
ancient Greeks had not the multitudinous possessions that we have today.

•  Chairs, stools, couches, tables, and chests constituted practically all the

furniture they possessed. 

• The couches served the double purpose of our sofa and bed, the tables were
small and portable, and boxes, large and small, took the place of our
closets and wardrobes. Desks were unknown, and books not plentiful enough
to necessitate bookcases until perhaps Hellenistic times.

• Many household articles in daily use were hung up on the walls or placed on

shelves.
• The Greek houses rather empty, even bare, compared with our
crowded interiors; but on the whole dignified and restful. For even in the
simpler houses the furniture had good lines, there were painted and inlay
decorations on the more formal on all pieces, and the brilliantly
colored covers and pillows-which upholstery added life and richness to the
general effect.

• The picture changes somewhat in Hellenistic times, and especially in the

Roman period when bookcases and wardrobes were in common use. But the
forms of the chairs, couches, tables, and chests remained for a considerable
time the some, somewhat elaborated, however, to correspond o current taste.

• The Greeks were content with a few types and with perfecting these in a gradual

evolution, instead of continually inventing new designs.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF GREEK
FURNITURE
• The early kinds of ancient Greek furniture were predominantly influenced by
Egyptian furniture. Characteristic of this early furniture was a stiff , rectangular,
and unflattering shape.
• Greek furniture styles were simple, elegant and tasteful. Although carving and inlays were
used, furniture was not over-decorated.
• Houses were not cluttered with much furniture, and household items were made for use
and comfort rather than decoration.
• The earliest Greek civilization concentrated more on the comfort of its furniture
rather than its decoration. However, as the Greek love for art and beauty is well
known, the simple items of furniture were works of art in their own way.
• The furniture consisted from the 7th century BCE to 4th century BCE , there were 5
main types of furniture : stools , couches , small tables, chests and chairs.
STOOL - BATHORN
 STOOLS
BATHORN
• The first type looks more like a small table.
• typical stool consisted of a flat top and four straight legs.
• This stool was known as a BATHRON.
• There was no back support and the bottom was hard and uncompromising.
 THE X-stool [ DIPHROS OKLADIAS]

• The second type of stool was made lightweight and easy to carry-the X stool.
• The X-stool, also known as the DIPHROS OKLADIAS , was easily movable and did not
have a specific place in the home.
• It consisted of three animal legs pointed inwards or have straight legs that typically
ending with lion's paws or animal feet.
• These were used both indoors and outdoors.
• It has leather seat and gazelle leg.
• When masters went out to stroll in the streets, the diphoros okladias was carried by a
servant so that it would be ready immediately whenever he might wish to rest.
• Some of these were greatly decorated and used as backless thrones outdoor in similar manner.
• X-framed stools enjoyed both popular and official status, the straight legged version (sella
curilis) being used by magistrates.
THE X-stool [ DIPHROS OKLADIAS]
STOOLS
 THRONE

• The third type of stool, the THRONOS or THRONE, was a type of stool known
only To the wealthy.
• The modern word “throne” is derived from the ancient Greek thrones which was a
seat designated for deities or individuals of high status or honor."
• The Thronos was ornately decorated and was often times lined with precious
stones.
• The thronos or throne-chair, was always reserved for the use of the most
important person present.
 FOOT STOOLS
• There are three types of foot tools-those with plain legs, those with curved legs
those shaped like boxes that would have sat directly on the ground.

• The footstool, which was used for access to couches and other high furniture ,
was known as the Theyns.
 COUCHES
Greek Klinai-
• Kline from klino (cause to lean), from which also the word clinic and clinical is
derived (that on which one reclines).
• The couches, known as klines , had a headboard that could be used as a backrest
while sitting, and were elegantly upholstered.
• A couch or kline was rectangular and supported on four legs , two of which
could be longer than the other providing support for an arm rest or headboard.
• Three types are distinguished by Richter-those with “animal legs” those with
“turned legs” and those with “rectangular legs”.
• The Greeks followed the Eastern tradition of lying down to eat.
• They were made entirely of wood, but often had bronze legs cast in animal styles.
• The klines were placed around the walls, and small tables were placed next to
them to hold the food and drink.
• These furnishings would have been made of leather , wool or linen, though silk
could also have been used.
• Stuffing for pillows , cushions and beds could have been made of wool, feathers,
leaves or hay.
 trapeza TABLE
• The most common wood type table was rectangular and stood on three legs.
• These tables could be made of bronze or marble, but typically of wood. This type of
table was the most common up until the 4th Century BCE when square topped
tables were replaced with round tops.
• Tables could have circular tops , and four legs or even one central leg or three legs to
create a better sense of balance.
• It also, often appears in depictions alongside KLINES and could fit underneath.
• legs were either lion paws or half/full body of mythical creatures.
• Tables in ancients Greece were used mostly for dinning purposes.
• Tables were low in height and mostly movable, credences and drinking tables
being often three-legged and made of bronze.
Volcanic ash activity cast of carved wooden table, 2200-1700
BC, Akrotiri archeological museum of Fira, Santorini.
 Terracotta model Marble Table – Supported on a single Leg-
representing a lion’s Animal faced leg - Archaeological
paw tripod table - musium of Dion.
Louvre museum.
 BED
• Greek furniture was treated architecturally.
• Beds usually had the appearance of Greek temples and usually
were made of stone.
 CHAIR
• Prior to the invention of a type of chair known as the Klismos by the Greeks in the
5th Century BCE, chairs were the same as those of Egypt and Persian.
• These chairs had hard stiff backs and arms. Even the people depicted in paintings
and friezes sitting in these types of chairs look to be uncomfortable.
• Rather than being designed to be comfortable, these chairs of the 6th and 7th
Centuries BCE were purely ceremonial in nature.
• The Klismos was an entirely new type of chair designed by the Greeks. It's smooth
and flowing shape inspired cultures of the Middle Ages and the early 19thCentury
to revive the concept.
• The Klismos, used principally by women, was made with delicately curved back
and legs.
• These features allowed the sitter to be in a freer and more natural position; the
backs of these chairs, referred to as Stiles, were designed to the curvature of the
back for comfort and extended to the shoulders.
• The Klismos, like most other furniture, was made of wood and not ornately
decorated.
• In order to increase the comfort, cushions and animal skins were usually placed
on the Klismos.
• By Hellenistic times, the general shape and structure of the Klismos had already
started to change.
• Chairs once again became heavier and more rigid.
• The general concept of comfort over ceremony has luckily survived through these
changes so that a piece of furniture from 2500 years ago does not seem at all
strange today.
CHAIRS
 CHESTS
• Various types and sizes of chests were used for storage.
• These usually had gabled lids and some painted with flowers and figures or
elaborately decorated with inlay and bronze or silver mounts.
• Chests were prized pieces of furniture, and would often be passed down from one
generation to another.
• Chests were originally made similar to those of the valuables into chests Egyptian
style and then took on their own style.
• Chests were the only means for storing clothing because shelves were generally
not used for that purpose.
• Jewellery, Valuables and fruits were hidden alongside the clothing for protection.
• Chests were also often valued enough to be part of a wife's dowry into use in the
Hellenistic period.
• Some of the chests made of wood were used as coffins.
 STYLES

• Greek furniture styles were simple, elegant and tasteful. Although carving and
inlays were used, furniture was not over-decorated.
• Houses were not cluttered with much furniture, and household items were
made for use and comfort rather than decoration.
• However, the Greek love of beauty and art extended to furniture design, and the
few simple items of furniture in an early Greek household were often works of art
in their own right.
• Dal, maple, beech, citrus and willow were the main woods which did not require
any veneering technique.
• Marble and bronze were used in conjunction with or to replace wood, and laid
ivory, ebony, and precious stones were lavished on the finest wooden pieces, which
sometimes had feet of silver.
• Carved and painted decoration was almost commonplace in this rich market.
• Seats were fitted with perfumed and brightly coloured cushions.
 MATERIALS
• The typical material used for designing furniture was wood because it was durable
and easy to fashion.
• Typical wood varieties include maple, cedar, boxwood, beech, oak, willow, cedar,
cypress, lime, and olive.
• Imported woods are maple, ebony and citron.
• so much wealth in the form of precious metals like gold, bronze etc. were lavished
in typical Greek furniture.
• By the 6th century BC, the Greeks had most of the possible hand tools for designing
wood – the adze, ax, saw, plane, hammer, rule, and lathe.
• The finishing method included veneer, painting with geometric decorations, and oil
polish.
• Dal, maple, beech, citrus and willow were the main woods which did not require
any veneering technique.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

• THE FURNITURE OF THE GREEKS, ETRUSCANS AND ROMANS BY G.M.A. RICHTER

• BBC.CO.UK

• WORLD HISTORY.ORG

• Chegg.com

• Myfurniturezworld.blogspot.com.

• Hellenicaworld.com
Thank you