“From symbols of wealth and prestige in ancient Egypt to modern-day protagonists of home comfort and restful sleep, feathers have always been a part of daily life for many civilizations, spanning centuries from prehistoric times.”
From symbols of wealth and prestige in ancient Egypt to modern-day protagonists of home comfort and restful sleep, feathers have always been a part of daily life for many civilizations, spanning centuries from prehistoric times. As the ultimate expression of purity and lightness, they have maintained a privileged relationship with humans, who over time have attributed to them a wide range of ornamental, religious, and functional values.
It is said that as early as ancient Egypt (from 3,900 BC onward), the feather was the distinctive element of the goddess Maat, the symbol of order, truth, and justice, who always wore one prominently in her headdress. According to legend, the goddess weighed the soul of the deceased, and for it to enter the afterlife, it had to be as light as a feather. The ancient Egyptians also regarded feathers as symbols of divine speech. Over the years, archaeological excavations along the Nile have uncovered frescoes and papyri depicting decorative objects made with feathers, such as fans and headdresses—symbols of refinement, often imbued with religious significance.
Across the ocean, around the same era, pre-Columbian civilizations also regarded feathers as markers of social status. In addition to being used in headdresses, they adorned drums, garments, necklaces, and more. Among Native American tribes, feathers were further attributed with medicinal and magical properties. In Greece, in the 4th century BC, Empedocles of Agrigento introduced the Theory of the Four Elements, which led to a symbolic interpretation of the feather as an ethereal and evanescent entity linked to air and breath—both considered allegories of life. Moving to Italy, in the sanctuaries of ancient Rome, feather-adorned jewelry and even simple, delicate plumes were offered to Juno, queen of the gods and ruler of the sky. However, in the Imperial Rome of the 1st and 2nd centuries BC, only the nobility recognized the preciousness of goose feathers, using them to fill the soft cushions of beds and alcoves. It was in the Middle Ages that feathers were universally acknowledged in castles and royal courts across Europe as the ideal filling material to enhance the comfort of all types of seating, as well as mattresses and pillows.