An upright board or panel that forms the head of a bed, often decorative.
Simply 'head' + 'board,' but the concept arose from medieval necessity rather than decoration. Early headboards were practical barriers to keep sleepers' heads away from cold stone walls and drafts. In an era before central heating, beds were often built into wall alcoves, and the headboard provided crucial insulation. What started as medieval draft protection became the decorative focal point of modern bedrooms.
Headboards weren't invented for style - they were medieval insulation to keep your head from freezing against stone castle walls. Every decorative headboard today descends from the practical need to not die of cold while sleeping in drafty medieval chambers.
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