A hammock
(from Spanish hamaca, borrowed from TaĆno and Arawak hamaka)
is a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting, suspended between two or
more points, used for swinging, sleeping, or resting. It normally
consists of one or more cloth panels, or a woven network of twine or
thin rope stretched with ropes between two firm anchor points such as
trees or posts. Hammocks were developed by native inhabitants of the
Americas for sleeping, as well as the English.[1]
Later, they were used aboard ships by sailors to enable comfort and
maximize available space, and by explorers or soldiers travelling in
wooded regions. Eventually, in the 1920s, parents throughout North
America used fabric hammocks to contain babies just learning to crawl.
Today they are popular around the world for relaxation; they are also
used as a lightweight bed on camping trips. The hammock is often seen as
a symbol of summer, leisure, relaxation and simple, easy living.