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Throughout the history of ancient Egypt, wigs have played a striking role.
The wig-making techniques and wig culture of the ancient Egyptians far surpassed other ancient civilizations.
The wig of ancient Egypt was not only intended to beautify hair, but also a symbol of social status, personal expression and cultural heritage.
But in the long history of ancient Egypt, scientists have discovered an interesting thing.
Many ancient Egyptians shaved all their hair before putting on wigs.
This fashion choice not only reflects the importance that ancient Egyptians attached to physical appearance, but also had a close relationship with their religious, hygienic and social roles.
Why wigs appeared in ancient Egypt
Hairstyles in ancient Egypt varied according to social status, gender, and age.
Slaves could never have the same hairstyles as free men, and the lower classes could never have the same hairstyles as the upper classes.
However, there are some similarities between them. Just like now, most people try to follow the same fashion.
In general, children's hairstyles are the same, whether boys or girls.
Their hair was all shaved, leaving only a long strand of hair hanging down one side of their heads. This style is associated with hieroglyphic symbols for children or youth.
When the children are older, the boys will shave their heads, while the girls will braided their hair into braids or something similar to a ponytail.
Men usually have short hair that shows their ears. But sometimes they prefer to cover their ears with short curls. As far as women are concerned, hairstyles are more advanced and distinctive.
They usually prefer to leave their hair smooth or naturally curly. Women in ancient Egypt also preferred long curly hair, but during the Old Kingdom, they preferred short hair or chin-length wave heads.
A team of researchers from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom examined the hair of 18 mummies, most of them from the early Ptolemaic period.
They took a closer look at the hairs they found with a microscope. During the analysis, the researchers discovered an unknown substance in the hair of the nine mummies. Chemical analysis shows that it is made from fatty acids of animal and plant origin.
Researchers are convinced that this is a hairspray that Egyptians used to fix hair in a specific position. Hair is naturally mummified after death.
Ancient Egyptians faced the same hair loss problems as modern people. They have a variety of medications to treat men.
A papyrus dating back to 1150 BC recommends using fat from lions, crocodiles, snakes, geese, cats, goats, wild goats, or hippos on the scalp. Chopped pieces of lettuce are also used to promote hair growth.
Wigs appear for several reasons.
First of all, Egyptians do not like gray hair or gray hair. They use henna to avoid this problem, but in the dry Egyptian climate, wigs seem to be the better solution.
Secondly, many people think that this idea is more comfortable than growing long hair. Examination of the aforementioned mummies shows that the ancient Egyptians had poor hair condition, especially when they were older.
Types and characteristics of wigs in ancient Egypt
Wigs were very popular not only in ancient Egypt, but also in Mesopotamia, Crete, Greece and Persia.
Nevertheless, the Egyptians improved the technique of making them to perfection. The most expensive royal wigs look like real hair.
They are made from plant fibers such as flax, wool, other types of animal hair, and human hair hardened with beeswax. The cheapest are made of plant fiber, but the royals only make it from human hair.
For real hair and wigs, the ancient Egyptians used sesame oils such as fir, almond, rosemary, and castor oil. They believe these oils stimulate hair growth.
Fenugreek seeds were popular in ancient times and are still used today as a medicine for hair growth.
Wigs are used not only in the daily lives of royalty, but also at major festivals and events. Egyptian wigs are often made with a structure similar to a helmet.
Some of them are dyed bright blue, red or green and decorated with gemstones and jewelry. High society people like to wear a lot of wigs.
The more wigs they have, the higher their status. Over time, the wig ends with a tassel-decorated headband, and with the addition of braids and curls, the wig gradually becomes larger and larger.
During the Middle Kingdom, there were two popular wigs: short hair wigs and long hair wigs.
The shape of the hair makes the forehead partially visible, and the ears and the back of the neck are completely covered.
The most classic wig style is the Nubian wig, a headdress that was worn throughout history but was especially popular during the 18th Dynasty and throughout the New Kingdom.
In those times, richly decorated wigs were a powerful symbol of fertility and were associated with the wigs worn by the goddess Hashor.
The wigs in the tombs, reliefs and statues of other women of this period resemble modern African hairstyles to some extent.
In the third intermediate period, wigs were very large and heavy.
Queen Isimheb in 900 BC wore a wig that was so heavy that she needed the help of attendants to stand up.
Today, the wig is in the collection of the Cairo Museum. It is made from brown human hair held together with beeswax.
Wigs are mainly made by women. The human hair used by wigs comes from the barber's customer, or brought by the customer. The hair usually comes from the customer who ordered the wig. Sometimes it comes from people or slaves who sell hair.
Wigs are not only used to decorate, but also to symbolize status
In ancient Egypt, wigs were not just an ornament, but also a symbol of social status and power.
In ancient Egyptian society, only the high nobles, magnates, and pharaohs were eligible to wear the most ornate wigs.
These wigs are designed according to the regulations of different social classes to distinguish people's identity and status. By wearing elaborate wigs, social elites were able to highlight their noble pedigree, social status, and dominance.
The influence of ancient Egyptian wigs was not only reflected in the field of fashion, it also became an important subject in art and sculpture, depicted in frescoes, stone carvings and temples.
The ancient Egyptians regarded wigs as a cultural heritage that represented their identity and aesthetic values.
In addition, wearing wigs has also become a means of personal expression, enabling individuals to highlight their personality and style in society.
With their wigs
People tend to be buried wearing the best wigs after death. They want to look rich and have beautiful hair after they die.
Thanks to this practice, many wigs have survived to this day and become part of exhibitions around the world.
Legendary queens such as Nefertiti, Cleopatra and Nephtari all took pride in their wigs and were seen as great beauties.
Many of them had shaved heads, and their famous appearance was partly caused by the man who created the most impressive wig in their kingdom.
Upper-class Egyptian men and women considered wigs to be an integral part of their wardrobes. Wearing a wig signifies one's status in Egyptian society.
While shaving the head was a sign of nobility in most Egyptian kingdoms, most Egyptians covered their heads. Wigs are worn in place of headdresses, or elaborate headdresses for special occasions.
Egyptian law prohibited slaves and servants from shaving their heads or wearing wigs.
At the bottom of the Egyptian wig is a fiber-mesh beanie with a few strands of human hair, wool, linen, palm fiber, felt or other material attached.
The hair of the wig usually sticks straight out of the beanie, creating a large, complete wig that provides sun protection to the wearer. The most common is black, and wigs also come in other colors.
Queen Nefertiti, who lived in the 14th century BC, was famous for wearing dark blue wigs, and holiday wigs were sometimes gilded, or plated with a thin layer of gold.
Wigs were arranged in a decorative style throughout the Egyptian kingdom.
During the earliest dynasties (beginning around 3200 BC) and the Old Kingdom of Egypt (circa 2700 BC to circa 2000 BC), both men and women wore short-cut wigs with a row of short curly hair or slightly longer straight hair.
In later kingdoms, some women began to grow their hair long and wear longer, fluffier wigs that revealed the real hair underneath.
By the Middle Kingdom period (circa 2000 BC to circa 1500 BC), bulky wigs with hair coils hanging forward over the shoulders were favored.
During the New Kingdom period (c. 1500 BC – c. 750 BC), male wigs were much longer at the front and smaller than at the back, but female wigs became larger and completely covered the shoulders.
On special occasions, wigs will be decorated with gold, woven with streamers, or decorated with beads. Coupled with golden straps, hats and fancy headbands, the wig becomes more elaborate.
Egypt's hot climate makes it uncomfortable for men to grow beards. However, the Egyptians believed that the beard represented masculinity, so they invented artificial beards, or beard wigs.
Men of the royal rank tie short stubby beards on their chins on formal or festive occasions.
Kings had longer beards than those of other men, and were usually straight and thick. The god is depicted with a sparse beard curled at the tip.
The Egyptians believed that kings were descendants of gods, and in some ceremonies kings wore curved beards to show that they represented the gods.
Conclusion:
The splendor of ancient Egyptian wigs shows the ancient Egyptians' pursuit of fashion and beauty, while also reflecting symbols of social status and power. Its design and decoration reflect the unique aesthetic and virtuosity of ancient Egypt.
The influence of ancient Egyptian wigs was not limited to the field of fashion, but also had a profound impact on the entire ancient Egyptian culture, becoming an important part of cultural heritage and personal expression.
Bibliography:
- Fletcher, J. (1998). Egyptian wigs and hairstyles. Shire Publications Ltd.
- Robins, G. (1993). Proportion and style in ancient Egyptian art. In Ancient Egyptian Art (pp. 71-99). Harvard University Press.
- Taylor, J. H. (2001). Death and the afterlife in ancient Egypt. University of Chicago Press.
- Pinch, G. (2004). Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press.
- Loprieno, A. (2005). Ancient Egyptian: A Linguistic Introduction. Cambridge University Press.