Garden hammockA couple in a hammock on the beachHammocks
Find great deals on home improvement project with huge savings available only at eBay!

Hammocks

The hammock is a fabric sling used for sleeping or resting. It consists of cloth or a network of twine or thin natural or synthetic rope which is stretched between two firm points such as trees or attached to a metal or wood structure. more...

Home
Bedding
Furniture
Home Decor
Miscellaneous
Patio & Grilling
Awnings, Canopies & Tents
Benches, Chairs & Lounges
Charcoal Grills &...
Cooking Tools & Accessories
Fire Pits
Gas Grills & Accessories
Hammocks
Other Patio & Grilling
Patio Sets & Picnic Tables
Picnicware
Swings
Umbrellas

Hammocks are widely used for relaxation in backyards, cottages, and waterfront areas, and they are carried as a lightweight type of bed on camping trips. They are also used for sleeping on ships and spacecraft.

History

The hammock was developed in Pre-Columbian Latin America and continues to be produced widely throughout the region, including among the Urarina of the Peruvian Amazon. Though it is unknown who invented the hammock, many maintain that it was a device created out of tradition and need. The English language derivation of hammock and various European equivalents is borrowed from the Spanish hamaca or hamac around 1700, in turn taken from a Taíno culture Arawakan word (Haiti) meaning "fish net."

Hammocks were first introduced in Europe by Christopher Columbus when he brought many hammocks back to Spain from islands in the present day Bahamas.

One of the reasons that hammocks grew in popularity in the New World was because of their ability to provide safety. By being suspended, sleepers were better protected from snakes and other harmful creatures. It also allowed people to avoid water, dirt, and other unsanitary conditions that existed in the early New World.

They were not part of Classic era Maya civilization; they were said to have arrived in the Yucatán from the Caribbean fewer than two centuries before the Spanish conquest. They are made of various materials (including palm-based in western Amazonia), and the quality depends greatly on the thread and the number of threads used. In Mexico, hammocks are made in villages surrounding the capital city of the Yucatán, Mérida, and are sold throughout the world as well as locally.

Mayan hammocks are made on a loom and are hand woven by men, women and children. Hammocks are so symbolically and culturally important for the Yucatecans that even the most humble of homes have hammock hooks in the walls; in rural El Salvador, a family home may have multiple hammocks strung across the main room, for use as seating, as beds, or as sleep-swings for infants.

The earliest hammocks were woven out of bark from a Hamack tree, and later this material was replaced by Sisal plant because it was more abundant.

Current use

There are currently a wide variety of hammocks available. There are hammocks that are designed specifically for backpacking and include mosquito netting along with pockets for nighttime storage. There are hammocks made out of thin and lightweight material which makes them ideal for taking on daytrips. Other hammocks include self-standing metal or wood structures that support the hammock. Although they are usually bought premade, it is also possible to make your own hammock.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


Heavy duty 2 Point Hammock Stand + Hammock, Brand new, $69.00 New Large Strong Colorful woven Cotton Hammock w/ bag $9.99
Large Double Two person Heavy Duty Cotton Rope Hammock $19.99 Hammocks: 2 New Sky Air Swing Chair Cotton Rope Hammock $32.99
Large Double Two person Heavy Duty Cotton Hammock-Black $17.99 European Quilted Hammock w/ Button Tuft Pillow Bqh-483 $74.99
New Strong White woven Cotton Hammock w/ fringe & bag $11.99 Hammocks-Double 2 Person Hammock Cotton Rope Bed $13.60
Pawleys Island Open Weave 2 Person Hammock Striped New $29.99 New Set Of 2 ! Padded Hammock Swing Chair Cotton porch $8.99
New 3 Person Xtra Large 440lb Cotton Hammock Swing $5.99 Tri-Beam Wooden Hammock Stand with Cotton Hammock $49.95
Charleston Hammock Double Hammocks Large Cotton Rope $88.00 Texsport 2 Person Outdoor/Backyard Cotton Hammock Swing $79.99
Ultimate Original Hammock Chair - Sky Air Swing - Sand $14.95 Sailshade Canopy - Oversized Deluxe Sun Shade Sail $19.95
La Caribea Green Hammock $60.90 New Cypress Wooden Curved Arc Hammock Stand W/ Hammock $189.99
Pawley'S Island Orginal Cotton Rope Hammock New In Box $93.95 Hanging Hammock Chair-Direct From Manufacturer-On Sale! $39.95
New Exotic Colored Hammock - Hamock $9.99 Large Two Person Cotton Rope Cozy Hammock New $42.99
New Quilted Fabric Double Spreader Bar Pillow Hammock $59.99 2 New Padded Swinging Hammock Chairs $119 $34.95
Nylon Rope Hammock $45.00 Portable camping Folding Porch Hammocks with Stand $49.99
1 New Large Bed 2/Two Person Cotton Rope Double Hammock $19.99
Click to see more Hammocks items
Prices current as of last update, 01/06/09 6:50am.


Home Contact Resources Exchange Links eBay