Furniture

Footstools

Footstools are a category of very low, narrow stools with three boards, found across Crete. They are not intended for sitting on, except by small children, as they are only 6-8 cm high and 8-10 cm wide. In Byzantine iconography, Evangelists or other author-saints seated at a reading desk are always shown with their feet resting on a low step or stool. People had to keep their feet off the ground because the floor was cold and damp, especially in winter, while shoes were rudimentary. In Crete, floors were made of beaten earth until the early 20th century, meaning that women had to use footstools when sitting and weaving, sewing or doing other household chores for long hours. We know that one strong-minded Byzantine Empress used to keep her feet warm during long ministerial councils by placing them on the stomach of a eunuch lying under the table…

In any case, it seems that this simple piece of furniture has been around for a long time.