The concept of a dining table was probably invented by the Romans. Prior to this, and indeed in many cultures today, food would be eaten from plates and dishes whilst sitting on the floor. As the habit of using a dining table might have been common practice amongst occupying Roman forces in Israel during the time of Christ, but not amongst the native population, this presumably makes Leonardo Da vinci's painting of the Last Supper technically inaccurate.
It is ironic perhaps that, amongst Orthodox Jews, it became customary to bury the deceased head of the family in a coffin made from the wood of the dining table. The reasoning was that this wood had more blessings said over it than wood simply taken from a timber yard.
Here at Right Price Furniture, we offer dining tables for, hopefully, much happier occasions such big tables for dinners with families and friends, small tables for intimate dinners and cheerful painted tables for breakfasts. In all cases we try to indicate whether the table has a fixed or extending top and to indicate the length (or is it width?) of the table when it is closed. If you find a table that does not show the sizes, then please contact us and we will remedy the situation.
Did you know?
Amongst all the superstition, records and general trivia associated with dining tables, the record for the world’s longest dining table was set up in 1998 near Lisbon, Portugal and measured 5 kilometres (approximately 3 miles) long. Few details of the table are available as the main focus of the event’s sponsor was to prove one litre of its washing up liquid could clean the plates of all 16,000 diners. The dining table on board Nasser el-Rashid’s yacht Lady Moura, is an altogether more modest affair at just 18m (59 feet) long. Dinner guests at the Saudi businessman’s table have included Sir Elton John and actor Jean-Claude Van Damme