Chair History
For centuries, even millennia, the chair has been used more as a sign of prestige and status than as an item of ordinary use. Today, having a chair is a symbol of authority. In Western sources, "chairman" means president or chief. All committees, boards of directors and academic departments are headed by people with the title of "chairman".
In the academic sense, areas of specialization are also met with the word lectern, which is a Latin translation. The chair was not widely used anywhere until the 16th century. Very few chairs have survived from ancient times.
Our knowledge of chairs in ancient times is entirely derived from monuments, sculptures and paintings. A few examples are in the British Museum in England and in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. An ancient chair from the Reykyavik national museum In ancient Egypt, chairs were a sign of great wealth and splendor.
It was made of ebony and ivory or gilded and wood-carved, covered with expensive materials and beautiful patterns, supported by feet with animal figures. In China, after being seen as a high seat among the Chinese elite during the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD), it spread to all levels of society. Although it was common in other Asian countries in the 12th century, stools were used in most of the houses, not sitting on the ground in China.
With the change that came with the renaissance in Europe, the chair has ceased to be a privilege and has become an item that everyone can buy and use at home.
After entering the field of daily use, chairs change every few years to reflect the fashion of the time. In the 20th century, the use of technology in production increased and foldable, metal legs, plastic molded and ergonomic chairs emerged. The modern movement of the 1960s spawned new chair forms. Butterfly chair, bean bag and egg-shaped chairs are examples.
With the advances in technology, chairs made of plywood and wood laminate, as well as chairs made of leather and polymer, began to be produced.
Mechanical technology, on the other hand, has revealed adjustable chairs that can be used especially in workplace and office environments.