Stool (seat)

A stool is a raised seat designed for a single occupant. Most stools are supported by three or four legs. Historically, stools were defined by what they lacked. They usually had neither armrests nor a backrest. Because of this, some people call them backless chairs. Today, the definition has become somewhat blurred. Many modern stools include backrests for comfort. You might see tall bar stools used at counters. These are often made to be compact. This allows many people to sit closely around a serving table.

Creating a stool requires careful construction techniques. In the past, makers used a method called green woodworking. This involved setting already-dried legs into a seat that was still green. In woodworking, green wood is wood that is still moist and fresh. As the seat dries, it naturally shrinks. This shrinking action pulls the joints tight. This process often used mortice and tenon joints. A mortice is a hole carved into a piece of wood. A tenon is a projecting piece of wood that fits into that hole. This method was used to create simple stools with three legs set into a solid plank.

Stools have evolved through several distinct mechanical forms. One early type was the boarded or Gothic stool. This was a short bench with two board-like feet at each end. Another common type was the simple turned stool. The term "turned" refers to wood shaped on a lathe. These turned stools were the ancestors of the Windsor chair. Later, the backstool emerged as an intermediate step toward the chair. A backstool was always three-legged. It featured a central rear leg that extended outwards. A crossways pad was then attached to this leg to provide support.

The history of the stool stretches back to ancient civilizations. The ancient Egyptians utilized stools for both sitting and as footstools. In Ancient Greece, a four-legged stool was known as a diphros. These existed in both fixed and folding versions. Some historians, like Percy Macquoid, suggest a connection to the Varangian Guard. He claims they brought turned stools from Byzantium into Europe. These items may have reached England via the Normans. During the medieval period, stools were a common form of seating. They were much more frequent than the rare, throne-like chairs used for status.

In certain cultures, stools hold immense political and spiritual significance. Many African kingdoms and chiefdoms use stools as thrones. These are not merely seats but symbols of authority. A famous example is the Golden Stool of the Asantehene in Ghana. This object was so important that it caused a conflict known as the War of the Golden Stool. This war occurred between the Ashanti people and the British. This event shows how a piece of furniture can represent the soul of a nation.

Technological changes in the 20th century transformed stool design. Around 1900, new materials like bentwood became available. Later, designers used bent steel tubes. Marcel Breuer worked with these materials at the Bauhaus school. These isotropic materials changed how stools were built. Isotropic materials have properties that are the same in all directions. Because these materials were so strong, makers no longer relied on traditional joinery. They did not need specific leg placements to ensure strength. This allowed for much more variety in backrest shapes and styles.

Today, the stool remains a versatile object in many different environments. We see folding stools that collapse into a flat, compact form. These are useful for easy storage and movement. We also see specialized versions like the step stool or the kick stool. In some settings, stools are even used for manual labor. For example, three-legged stools have been used by farm workers milking cows. From ancient Egyptian footstools to modern industrial designs, the stool continues to adapt to human needs.