Pillow facts for kids

A throw pillow

A pillow is a soft cushion you put under your head when you sleep. It helps you feel comfortable and supports your neck. Pillows are usually shaped like a rectangle.

They are made from two pieces of cloth sewn together. Inside, they are filled with soft materials. These can be feathers, duck down, or man-made stuffing called synthetic batting. A pillow is often covered with a fabric sheet called a pillowcase. This pillowcase keeps the pillow clean.

The History of Pillows

A chimpanzee using its arm as a pillow

People have used pillows for a very long time. Even animals used things to support their heads. Reptiles and mammals would rest their heads on themselves or on each other. This helped support their head and neck.

Animals, including early humans, also used natural objects. They would use wood and stone in their nests as simple pillows. After animals were tamed, many learned to use human-made pillows. They also rested on other animals or people for comfort.

About 5 to 23 million years ago, great apes living in trees started building sleeping platforms. These platforms included wooden pillows. These sturdy pillows helped them sleep better. They could avoid predators at night and not fall out of trees. This might have helped their large brains grow. It may also have led to more REM sleep, which helps with thinking.

Pillows in Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt

An ancient Egyptian wooden pillow

The first recorded use of pillows by humans was around 7,000 BC. This was in the ancient lands of Mesopotamia. Back then, only rich people used pillows. The more pillows someone owned, the more important they were.

Pillows were made to help with neck, back, and shoulder pain. They also kept bugs and insects away from people's faces while they slept.

Pillows were also found with mummies and in tombs in ancient Egypt. This was during the 11th dynasty, from 2055–1985 B.C. Ancient Egyptian pillows were hard headrests made of wood or stone. They were often placed under the heads of people who had died. The head was seen as very important and sacred. These hard pillows supported the head, kept blood flowing, and were thought to keep evil spirits away.

Pillows in Ancient Europe

The Romans and Greeks in ancient Europe learned to make softer pillows. They filled these pillows with reeds, feathers, and straw. This made them much more comfortable.

Usually, only wealthy people owned these soft pillows. However, everyone could use some type of pillow for support. People used them for sleeping, lying down, or sitting. In ancient Europe, people also started using pillows in churches. They would kneel on them while praying or place holy books on them. This tradition is still seen today. Like the Egyptians, Romans and Greeks also placed pillows under the heads of the deceased.

Pillows in Ancient China

A pottery pillow from the Jīn dynasty (1115–1234)

Traditional Chinese pillows were often solid. Sometimes, a soft fabric was placed over them. Over many Chinese dynasties, pillows were made from different materials. These included bamboo, jade, porcelain, wood, and bronze.

Ceramic pillows became very popular. The first ceramic pillows appeared during the Sui Dynasty (581–618 AD). They were mass-produced during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD).

The Chinese decorated their pillows in many ways. They made them in different shapes and painted pictures on them. These pictures often showed animals, humans, and plants. A common type of pottery used was Cizhou ware. Chinese ceramic pillows were most popular from the 10th to the 14th century. This was during the Song, Jin, and Yuan dynasties. However, they slowly became less common during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1911). This happened as new, softer pillow materials became available.

Images for kids

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  Pillows on a bed

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  A typical pillow

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  Porcelain pillow. Huangling county, China. Jin period (1115 - 1234 CE

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  A Japanese pillow filled with plastic tubes in a mesh sack

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  Ceiba pentandra, the fluffy, glossy fruit-fibres of silk-cotton tree is used as filler for traditional pillows in India

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  Several pillows on a bed

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  A typical pillow

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  A body pillow with a light blue pillow case

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  Panda shaped travel pillow

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  Decorated pillows piled on the corner of a sofa

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  An embroidered Turkish pillow

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  Large public pillow fight

See also

In Spanish: Almohada para niños