Traditions of chair making in regions of Scotland where trees were few and far between, or of stunted form, utilised the naturally crooked branches and bent trunks. In Sutherland and Caithness examples of chairs have been noted in the rural dwellings of crofters (a sort of tenant farmer(?)) made using similarly-bent branches to form a continual frame for back and seat. A sheepskin or leather would have been thrown over the thin uncomfortable looking dowels in between, and often found/scrap wood was used for the seat. More likely was a single bent branch that was split down the middle to create the two sides. Photo: 19th century chair of Sutherland/Caithness type - National Museum of Scotland, from Scottish Vernacular Furniture, Bernard D Cotton, 2008 #scottishfurniture #vernacularchair