four-poster bed

furniture

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evolution of bed design

In furniture: Bed
…European civilization, however, was the four-poster. Throughout the Middle Ages and later, the four-poster was developed in a variety of forms. Already during the Middle Ages, beds were designed for clearly ceremonial effect. The four posts supported an expanse of cloth that extended from the head like a canopy, just…
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trundle bed

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trundle bed

furniture

Also known as: truckle bed

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Also called:: truckle bed

Related Topics:: bed

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trundle bed, a low bed, so called from the trundles, or casters, that were attached to the feet so that it could be pushed under the master bed when it was not in use. The bed was intended for servants, who used to sleep in their employer’s room so as to be near at hand. The framework was generally of oak, and suspension was provided by leather or canvas straps looped through holes in the sides.

The first references to the trundle bed occur in the 16th century, and the bed remained in common use until the early 19th century. The phrase is still used in some rural areas to describe a small bed of any kind, and the concept survives in the metaphor “to truckle under,” or to be subservient.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.