The history of the hammock: Where does it come from & what does Columbus has to do with it?

In the warm season, we relax alone, as a couple or with the whole family in it in the garden and some people take it with them on trips and put it up between the camper van and the tree: we´re talking about the hammock. But where does it come from? Who invented it? Where does the word hammock come from? And what does Christopher Columbus has to do with it? We went on a search for clues. In the following, we present you useful information about the history of the hammock.

Sleeping place & fishing net of indigenous people

There is no exact date of the invention, but researchers assume that people already slept in hammocks over 1000 years ago – in Central and South America. There the indigenous people like the Maya and Inca were known to have a highly developed culture and left behind imposing temple pyramids, richly decorated vases, a calendar and a writing system, the first cocoa drink or the hammock. At the beginning, the hammocks consisted of nets and were used not only as a place to sleep, but also for fishing. Instead of lying on the ground, people now dangled in the air, which was more hygienic and protected them from dangerous animals. In addition, the higher sleeping place in this humid area ensures a better exchange of air. At the same time, these people always had a utensil ready for fishing in order to secure a large part of their food. Some even lay their dead in it and used hammocks as a mean of transport.

Unconscious or conscious mistranslation

The beginning of the history of the hammock are clarified – now the question remains: Where does the word hammock actually come from? The net of the very first hammock was woven from the fibers of the bark of the Hamak tree. The English name “hammock” or the Spanish “hamaca” could be derived from this. On the other hand, “hamaca” in the language in Haiti means “ thrown fishing net” and refers to the use at that time. In Old German, the term “hamaco” or “hamach” appeared in the first records from 1529. From this the current German word “Hängematte (in english: hammock)” developed, which has nothing in common with the original meaning. Researchers assume, that either a wrong translation occurred or the original term sounded too foreign and was exchanged with a familiar-sounding word.

From South America to Europe

It was Cristoforo Colombo, better known as Christopher Columbus, who came across these hammocks on his discovery tours in 1492. On the Bahamas he was amazed about this strange place to sleep and noted in his logbook: “Bed and blankets on which those people sleep are a kind of woolen net.” The Italian mariner then brought some of the hammocks to Europe and spread the concept of this sleeping opportunity outside Central- and South America. Meanwhile, the material develops further: Henceforth the sisal plant was used instead of the bark of the Hamak Tree because it was more available and softer.

Important utensil in sea faring

For a long time the hammock was used particularly on ships. It had many advantages for sailors: It was space saving and could quickly be assembled and disassembled. Aside from that, it ensured a more peaceful sleep, as it was able to compensate the fluctuations of the sea. It also protected against the cold that crept into the ship at night through the cold seawater and, if necessary served as a life-saving device due to its good floatability. Therefore, hammocks made out of canvas replaced the net variants.

From bed to chilled favorite place

The hammock than began its real triumphal march in the 1960s, when more and more cotton was produced and replaced sisal material as a raw material. This enabled the broad masses to fulfill their dream of their own hammock. At CHICO, we also continue to rely on cotton that is spun in Italy and Portugal. It's not only ecological, but also very soft. In addition, we offer hammocks out of weatherproof Polyester, which you can leave outside during the night.

So the hammock finally made the leap from a sleeping place to a chilled everyday companion that is not only used in the garden, but also when travelling. In many regions in South America, Africa and Asia the hammock still serves primarily as a place to sleep.

By the way: We at CHICO can also look back on an  eventful history that goes back to the 1980s.