The inquiry into the origins of seating furniture is an investigation into the evolution of human comfort and social hierarchy. This exploration seeks to pinpoint the approximate period when elevated seating first appeared in human history.
Historically, the development of specialized seating corresponds with the rise of complex societies and formalized social structures. While rudimentary stools and ground-level seating existed in prehistory, the emergence of identifiable, back-supported seating marked a significant shift in both domestic life and ceremonial practice. These objects, often reserved for individuals of status, signified authority and privilege within their respective cultures. Their appearance reflects a transition from egalitarian seating arrangements to differentiated access based on social standing.