The hammock has been around for a very long time, as a matter of fact for over 1000 years. 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 believe that it was a piece of equipment created out of tradition and need.
The first use of the hammock was not for relaxation or recreation at all, but was used for protection from insects and the elements. The hammock was easy to make and handy enough to hang anywhere so it was perfect for traveling and hiking.
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." The earliest hammocks were woven out of bark from a Hamack tree, and later this substance was replaced by Sisal plant because it was more abundant.
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 gain recognition in the New World was because of their ability to provide safety. By being suspended, sleepers were better protected from snakes and other dangerous creatures. It also allowed people to avoid water, dirt, and other unhealthy conditions that existed in the early New World.
The Mexican made hammocks in villages surrounding the capital city of the Yucatán, Mérida, and are sold locally and internationally as well. Hammocks are symbolically and culturally important for the Yucatecans. In rural El Salvador, a family home may have more than one hammocks strung across the main room, for use as seating, as beds, or as sleep-swings for infants.
