A Study on the Korean Pillows

우리나라 베개(침)에 관한 소고 -유물과 문헌을 통하여-

The purpose of this study is to find at the basic data for the appropriate conditions of the pillows for the Koreans. In this study, the origins, materials, the forms and the sizes of Korean pillows have been investigated by means of existing remains and the existing documentary records. The results are as follows : 1) We can infer that ordinary pillows have already been used in a period of the three kingdoms, because the pillows for the dead bodies been unearthed from the tombs of this period. 2) Round pillows which are used nowadays to rest our heads have also been utilized as early as in Koryo Dynasty or even in the previous period. It is because the pillows described in Koryo dakeyung are similar to the present round ones. Most of the existing Koryo pillows have been made fo ceramics. Their average length is 20.0$\pm$5.4cm, the average low height is 9.7$\pm$0.9cm, and their average high height is 11.8$\pm$1.2cm. 3) The material which has been used to make pillows in Choson Dynasty is various : textile, wood, rush, bamboo, ceramics, etc. Most of them have been made in a round form or in a form of lying square. The average low height of lying squares is 8.1$\pm$2.5cm. The average high height is 11.9$\pm$1.9cm, and the average lenght is 19.0$\pm$5.6cm. The average diameter of embroidered pads attached to both sides of round pillows or the average length of one side of regular squares is 12.5$\pm$2.3cm.