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In todays society we all get back problems, I am diagnosed with a back condition (Scoliosis), but main cause of our back pain is our matresses, over stretching and taking too my luggage to work, college or school.

I was doing some research on Egypt (like I do) and I saw a picture of a bed. Also when I went to Luxor Museum last August I saw Tutenkhamun's bed. It is really bent. Here is a picture:



Here is also a picture of a headrest that they used. They were often decordated with Gods to scare off evil spirits when asleep:



So, what do you lot think? Do you think these methods of bedrest provented back pain/problems do you think it caused it? In my opinions I would say it would have caused it.

I'm kinda tied between the two.... Since I;m sure there was no such thing as an official mattress back then, I;m sure they were used to sleeping in such a manner...--it's quite possible that back problems were common, but then again, since their way of life was different, it may not have bothered them. As for the headrests? I think alotta that is superficial, cuz it seems that usually the wealthy have them...

true that....^^

It's funny how well ancient peoples seem to have done with equipment and working conditions which would beat us into the ground today. I suspect you're right that their stronger physical conditioning allowed them to use these sorts of unsupportive beds and come out relatively unscathed. Many of today's joint and back aches and related medical conditions can be summed up by a muscular system which is not strong enough to hold the bones and joints into the places where they should be. I have several of these problems- I was born with bilateral hip dysplasia (I had no hip sockets either side), and it was treated by my placement into a body cast for the first year of my life. This resulted in some very underused hip and leg muscles, and for a long time thereafer- despite the fact that I did develop hip joints- my muscles were so weak that I had problems with every joint from the waist down. Some hard training in the martial arts fixed that... and difficult as the training was I have no illusions that it was anywhere near the level of constant physical activity which the ancient Egyptians must have kept up. So I suspect that their back muscles were probably strong enough not to need the sort of support which we require today. That's not to say that they were immune to the sorts of problems we still face, however, and there have been a few mummies who have been diagnosed with scoliosis. Whether it was caused by the bedding or not, I'd have a tough time saying- it would be an interesting research subject, though.

I've always thought that the headrest was a rather odd design- it certainly doesn't look very comfortable! We have a relatively modern version in the headrests used by Japanese geisha- very similar in form and function, although the geisha used them to protect their elaborate hairstyles from being mussed while they slept. Nowadays, experienced geisha wear wigs and have no need for the special headrests; only novices have their actual hair styled and use these special "pillows" as a part of their training in discipline, and develop an appreciation for the difficulties of their predecessors in the process, no doubt! In ancient Egypt, however, most people shaved their heads and wore wigs to begin with so they certainly weren't using them for fashionable reasons.

Instead, we suspect that the entire headrest had an amuletic function. Egyptologists today have noted the similarities between the Egyptian "akhet" symbol (shown on the right) and the curve of the headrest. The curved platform of the headrest evokes the valley between the twin peaks of the horizon, and the sleeper's head which rests upon it becomes the sun. As the sun rose every day on the horizon depicted by the akhet symbol, so too was the sleeper guaranteed to rise each day from his or her bed. In addition, as you've mentioned, the headrest was popularly carved with images of protective deities- like Bes and Nit- chasing away the demons of bad dreams and other nocturnal threats.

To the Egyptians, it seems, sleep was a dangerous time- apparently viewed as a brief and partial descent into the realm of the dead (note that a person lies much as if dead when asleep), into which the sun disappeared each night. There, a person is extremely vulnerable to the forces of chaos and uncreation. As such, any sort of protection was advisable- and I suppose that motivation could well have persuaded the early Egyptians to get used to some slightly uncomfortable headgear. The shape of the headrest itself was also used in minature form as an amulet- though mainly for funerary purposes, where it would raise up the head of the deceased in ressurection... and also protect it from being cut off by demons in the afterlife. cool

I have been told by my mother, my friends, and other family that I "sleep like a vulture," so I don't think I'd have too much problem with the bed. (It might have bowed like that due to the fact that it's...well, five thousand years old, give or take, and Egypt's blast-furnace temperatures in day and cold at night could have distorted it...)

The headrest, on the other hand...no. Couldn't deal with that, ever. xp Heck, I don't use a pillow because it does something weird to my neck muscles, and having a sore neck annoys me greatly, especially since I use my neck a lot in various forms of dance.

Beds do not cause a scoliosis. Mine was formed whilst I was growing, esepcially when having growth spurts during puberty.

I read a book (well, half of it redface ) and somebody close to Nefertiti has a scoliosis too. They must have been common in that era as Tutankhamen's daughter had one too.

I must have been Egyptian blaugh

Me too!!! sad

It's a quite strange bed....

Cushions were used, especially for the head rest.