Origins of hammocks ??

[surreal_trip]

Many different cultures have utilized some form of hammocks... The Greeks used them when invading Persia. The Prussians used them for nobility to relax while out on hunts and such. The Japanese used a form of hammock for sitting in small workshops. The vikings used them to transport wounded men on their boats. Hell even some original beds used hammock tech as they would use a wood frame with woven ropes to sleep on. Many cultures around the equator used hammocks of different sorts to sleep and rest in. It was easy to use a wrap of material to carry your gear in then tie that up to a couple trees and sleep on it. Maybe not fancy but hammocking all the way!

Funny note. Many sailors hated sleeping on hammocks on smaller ships as it made them seasick. The hammock wouldn't rock with the boat so the visual rocking was rough on the more sensitive sleepers.

[TriSec]

Like all things good and true about these United States, the "Hammock" was invented here in New England.

The Puritans, looking for a way to segregate themselves while sleeping so they didn't accidentally touch each other, came up with wrapping themselves in heavy, woolen blankets while lying on a hardwood floor.

A friendly native American, by the name of "Shuuuugg" (which translates as "he who sleeps on air") learned of this phenomenon one day and introduced the puritans to the concept of sleeping on a raised mound of grass, or "hummock" in the native tongue.

Very soon afterwards, Shuuuugg was run out of town for suggesting such blasphemy. Nevertheless, the Puritans took him up on his idea and were soon wrapping themselves in blankets and lying on rocks.

Many decades later, after the American Revolution, this story came to light and an enterprising young Patriot by the name of "John Hammock" thought he could improve upon the idea. Instead of wrapping himself in a woolen blanket, he decided to simply lie on top of it. Instead of a rock, he noticed two trees about 12 feet apart and thought he might suspend part of his blanket so that he could sleep flatter instead of in a reverse-banana shape.

One of his friends saw this and said "Whoopie"!! and the modern Hammock as we know it was born.

[Old Dog]

I have a neighbor who tells me he has his father's hammock from the navy in WWII. From what I've read, I think they originated with the natives in South America. Lots of creepy crawlers on the jungle floor.

[Old Dog]

Like all things good and true about these United States, the "Hammock" was invented here in New England.

The Puritans, looking for a way to segregate themselves while sleeping so they didn't accidentally touch each other, came up with wrapping themselves in heavy, woolen blankets while lying on a hardwood floor.

A friendly native American, by the name of "Shuuuugg" (which translates as "he who sleeps on air") learned of this phenomenon one day and introduced the puritans to the concept of sleeping on a raised mound of grass, or "hummock" in the native tongue.

Very soon afterwards, Shuuuugg was run out of town for suggesting such blasphemy. Nevertheless, the Puritans took him up on his idea and were soon wrapping themselves in blankets and lying on rocks.

Many decades later, after the American Revolution, this story came to light and an enterprising young Patriot by the name of "John Hammock" thought he could improve upon the idea. Instead of wrapping himself in a woolen blanket, he decided to simply lie on top of it. Instead of a rock, he noticed two trees about 12 feet apart and thought he might suspend part of his blanket so that he could sleep flatter instead of in a reverse-banana shape.

One of his friends saw this and said "Whoopie"!! and the modern Hammock as we know it was born.

LMAO!

[dkurfiss]

Like all things good and true about these United States, the "Hammock" was invented here in New England.

The Puritans, looking for a way to segregate themselves while sleeping so they didn't accidentally touch each other, came up with wrapping themselves in heavy, woolen blankets while lying on a hardwood floor.

A friendly native American, by the name of "Shuuuugg" (which translates as "he who sleeps on air") learned of this phenomenon one day and introduced the puritans to the concept of sleeping on a raised mound of grass, or "hummock" in the native tongue.

Very soon afterwards, Shuuuugg was run out of town for suggesting such blasphemy. Nevertheless, the Puritans took him up on his idea and were soon wrapping themselves in blankets and lying on rocks.

Many decades later, after the American Revolution, this story came to light and an enterprising young Patriot by the name of "John Hammock" thought he could improve upon the idea. Instead of wrapping himself in a woolen blanket, he decided to simply lie on top of it. Instead of a rock, he noticed two trees about 12 feet apart and thought he might suspend part of his blanket so that he could sleep flatter instead of in a reverse-banana shape.

One of his friends saw this and said "Whoopie"!! and the modern Hammock as we know it was born.

Right there is some funny stuff!

[ibgary]

Has anybody slept in a hammock on a ship. Pictures?

I did. It was my hammock. Pretty nice, no pics. I hung it in the missile mag.

[57hop]

"A friendly native American, by the name of "Shuuuugg"... "


Some think the continent was actually visited by ancient Hibernians, who may have introduced the practice to thousands of the local population!

[SleepingBeauty]

Has anybody slept in a hammock on a ship. Pictures?

Well, not a hammock per say, but I did lay in a cot that was suspended from the ceiling on the USS North Carolina. They sway a little getting in and out sitting still in the water. I can imagine they sway a bit more on the open sea.