Ancient Furniture – Basic VS Classical Furniture

The furniture of Ancient Greece was made from wood, pottery and metals, mostly. It was a time before chairs were invented (around 300 BC), so everyone had to sit on the ground. This is in contrast to the high-tech chairs that we have now, that some think are more comfortable than the clay and rock-filled sockets that Romans used. The good thing about this type of furniture is that it was not decorated or engraved, which made it highly unique. The pieces of Greek furniture that have survived to this day include such classics as the amphora, the gazebo and the ogee.

If the styles and materials are not enough, let us consider the colors and ornaments that decorate these objects. The Greeks used all types of ornaments and furniture to tie together the different areas of their home. For example, one of the more common items would be a pine bough pillow or a golden stool. The different ornaments also represented different things.

For example, oak furniture ornaments would represent longevity, while teak would represent luxury and sophistication. Of course, the most common wooden pieces of furniture were just the basic tables and chairs. There were much nicer versions that were carved and embellished with jewels, but they were more utilitarian than decorative. They were simply intended for seating. The intricately-carved ivory chairs and their accompanying tables and chests were symbols of luxury and authority, but only because they were the height of Roman and Greek culture at that time.