Who Invented Hammocks, Anyway?

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Saturday, March 31st, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Image via WikipediaIt’s believed hammocks originated over 1000 years ago as bedding in Central America. The Mayans are generally credited with inventing the hammock; but an exact attribution is difficult at best. By the time Christopher Columbus landed in the New (to him) World, hammocks were extensively used by the native civilizations of the Caribbean, Central and South America.

The word hammock is derived from the word hamaca from the Arawak language of the Taino Indians of Hispaniola (today’s Haiti and Dominican Republic); and it translates roughly as “fishing net”. Hammocks served as a functional and creative solution to the need for tropical bedding that wouldn’t harbor snakes or pests (most fall through the mesh), was cooling and hygienic (by swinging, one could catch quite a good breeze, while generating little, if any sweat), took up little carry space for travel when camping; and yet was very comfortable.

Columbus brought hammocks to Europe, where they caught on with sailors and the English Royal Navy. Sailors found them ideal for sleeping on rough voyages. Unlike traditional bedding, the hammock swings in concert with the ship’s rolling sea motion, minimizing the risk of being thrown from bed onto the deck.

It’s said that in the 19th century British prisons used hammocks as beds to save space and help alleviate overcrowding. The practice had to be stopped because ever-innovative prisoners came up with ways to make the brass hanging hardware into weaponry.

Hammocks began to be widely accepted during the 20th century as more and more people discovered the simple joys of relaxing in one. Sailors returning from the wars recounted how relaxing ship hammocks could be, even under wartime stress. Hammocks became popular, and a widely recognized symbol of backyard leisure and fun.

Fun Fact: During America’s Apollo space exploration program, hammocks were used in the lunar module for relaxation and sleeping.