When you hear the word "pillow," most of us think of something plush and wonderful to lay on at night. However, the original pillows were a far cry from today’s pillows. It seems that early civilizations of Mesopotamia first created a pillow not for comfort, but for the need to keep insects out of your hair, ears, eyes, nose, and mouth. Comfort wasn’t even given a thought, as this original pillow was a piece of stone carved with a half-moon shape for your head. Thousands of years later, the Egyptians used a similar style of pillow, made from stone or hard wood, but for a different purpose—to support a corpse’s head in a sacred manner.

Ancient China was the first instance of pillows created for rest, although certainly not comfortable. They still used hard materials (especially porcelain), since it was believed that soft pillows would steal energy and vitality from the body. (It’s worth noting that these pillows may have been the first decorative pillows, as they were frequently engraved with intricate pictures of animals, plants, and shapes.) Finally, the Greeks and Romans created a soft(er) pillow using straw or other organic materials for stuffing.

Soft pillows grew in popularity as a symbol of opulence (especially in Rome), but the popularity came to a screeching halt during The Middle Ages. King Henry VIII banned the use of soft pillows (making an exception for pregnant women), as they were seen as a sign of weakness. However, the desired comfort of a luxurious pillow couldn’t be held back for long. By the time the Industrial Revolution rolled around, pillows were back in favor…and much easier to produce thanks to mass production technologies.

One thing that hasn’t changed (at least not entirely) is the status symbol shown by the amount or type of pillows you have. From that ancient stone pillow to keep bugs off the wealthy to today’s increasingly lavish pillow options, everyone wants the best that they can afford. Lucky for you, PillowCubes offers all types of plush pillows at an affordable option (thanks to our unique vacuum-packed case shipping).