The tabula is a word that has been used for more than 2000 years. It is Latin for plank, board, or level top piece. In Spanish, tabula is known as mesa which is derived from another Latin word: mensa. In Old English, tabula is known as bord, which through years of evolution eventually became table. Tables come in all sizes and shapes depending on how they are used. Yet no matter what they look like, they are built for the purpose of supporting objects or placing them away from the ground. Before tables, humans may have just placed their objects on rocks or directly on the floor or ground.
The earliest evidence of table use comes from Egyptian hieroglyphics and Chinese literature. Egyptian Pharaohs used tables that looked like stools unlike the tables that we use today. Carved from stone or smelted metal, these furniture were mainly used in food holding. Chinese tables were barely off the ground. They were used not just for eating but also writing, painting, and sketching. Made from wood, these tables did not have room for chairs. Users had to sit on the floor to use them. Koreans and Japanese probably copied the Chinese practice of sitting on the floor facing their guests while eating.
In Europe, the Greeks and Romans also had their contribution in the development of the table. They also used their tables for eating, but the Greeks added an innovation to their tables. Their tables could be kept under their beds. Marble, metal, or wood were the primary materials that they were made with. Romans contributed to table design with their large tables that may on occasion have 6 legs. Shaped like semi-circles, they were called Mensa Lunata.
Who knows but it wouldn't be least bit surprising if the "modern" farm house table, originated from the Mensa Lunata, because what both have in common is size. The classic farm house tables were originally big, seating 12 to 14, and they were built out of oak or pine, because of their easy availability. They usually have a rustic finish so as to be able to endure the tough and rugged lifestyle of the farm.
It's a substance over style situation. Even though the most common shape is rectangular the smaller ones are made to be square in shape or even circular. When purchasing one it is important to keep in mind that they generally are heavier and larger than regular tables, so once you put one in your house you will not want to keep moving it around. Some of these tables even come with a weathered finished look which gives it a "used at the farm" look even though it may not have been anywhere near a farm or cowboys. - 32406
The earliest evidence of table use comes from Egyptian hieroglyphics and Chinese literature. Egyptian Pharaohs used tables that looked like stools unlike the tables that we use today. Carved from stone or smelted metal, these furniture were mainly used in food holding. Chinese tables were barely off the ground. They were used not just for eating but also writing, painting, and sketching. Made from wood, these tables did not have room for chairs. Users had to sit on the floor to use them. Koreans and Japanese probably copied the Chinese practice of sitting on the floor facing their guests while eating.
In Europe, the Greeks and Romans also had their contribution in the development of the table. They also used their tables for eating, but the Greeks added an innovation to their tables. Their tables could be kept under their beds. Marble, metal, or wood were the primary materials that they were made with. Romans contributed to table design with their large tables that may on occasion have 6 legs. Shaped like semi-circles, they were called Mensa Lunata.
Who knows but it wouldn't be least bit surprising if the "modern" farm house table, originated from the Mensa Lunata, because what both have in common is size. The classic farm house tables were originally big, seating 12 to 14, and they were built out of oak or pine, because of their easy availability. They usually have a rustic finish so as to be able to endure the tough and rugged lifestyle of the farm.
It's a substance over style situation. Even though the most common shape is rectangular the smaller ones are made to be square in shape or even circular. When purchasing one it is important to keep in mind that they generally are heavier and larger than regular tables, so once you put one in your house you will not want to keep moving it around. Some of these tables even come with a weathered finished look which gives it a "used at the farm" look even though it may not have been anywhere near a farm or cowboys. - 32406
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Learn more about the Farmhouse Dining Table. Stop by Alexander Stone's site where you can find out all about it and what it can do for you.
