Centuries later, the hammock is still swinging - Los Angeles Times :
"The simple little sling has survived for more than 1,000 years because it has been a workhorse and comfort for millions who have used it as a bed, birthing table, cradle, sofa -- even as a final resting place. In some cultures, the hammock has accompanied individuals from cradle to grave."
"In 1996, James Bogan -- professor at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, poet and frequent traveler to Brazil -- wrote that even today, residents of the Amazon call their hammocks "old mother," a reference to the way hammocks seem to embrace and envelop sleepers in comforting arms."