HAIR ACCESSORIES

HAIR ACCESSORIES  are clearly depicted throughout art, archeology and art history.  They had been worn by men and women since ancient times. 

I believe that humankind since who knows when have adorned their bodies and hair for special occasion, using materials available to them on their native land. 
One  of the simplest and most primitive ways to adorn one's hair is to grab some flowers and aromatic herbs and  put them as tiara on the hair. 

Hair accessories had been utilized for centuries in every defined civilization known, they are not purely an inventions of our modern society.

This post is just the beginning of many parts I will dedicate to hair accessories in our blog.

Starting this series of hair accessories or hair embellishments  posts, by mentioning two of the earliest ancient civilizations known to use hair accessories for rituals and special occasions. The Sumerians were an advance civilization that not only invented a system of numbers the first wheeled vehicle,writing and writing implements, the domestication of animals, urbanization and more ; they worries about their looks too. We can see clearly in this sumerian sculptures, that this Mesopotamian defined ancient society  portrayed themselves and their Gods with hair gear. Most of their hair embellishment took important part on their religious ceremonies and burial rites purpose. Head dresses made of gold resembling leafs and flowers had been found in the royal and common graves of the sumerians.

"It's a personal thought, that the more powerful and wealthy the person was in the society the more elaborate and rich in material the hair accessories were and still does"

The egyptians were another ancient defined society, where the use of hair accessories was important. Although it is said that most of them had short or no hair and that they used hair extensions and wigs for special occasions, mostly worn by the royal individuals.  Its is said that back then some egyptians let their own hair grow long,  then cut it and made it  weaved back as a wig of dreadlocks.

"Studies of mummy revealed that the egyptians kept their hair  short or bald because of head lice ,to avoid contracting or spreading them, archeologist have found evidence of lice on some of the studied mummy's hair"

Further readings for Sumerian and Egyptian civilization

    

        

Hair accessories had been used by mankind for many reasons. Hair gear was and is used protect the head and face from sun, embellish it the head and to keep ourselves  cooler in summer months. 

Greek were very self conscious about their appearance, focused on complex hair styles with simple hair accessories, some of the accessories mentioned in history are  headbands and pony tails. Some of their other accessories were used to keep their hairstyle in place, there was no hairspray back then.

In modern times greek hairdos and accessories are used mostly on the wedding and other special occasions.

Roman had hairpins and hair nets. Wore by all women. Depending on their social class was the material used to make their hair accessories. They also used leafs and herbs to make their hair aromatic. Tiaras and ribbons of some kind to hold their elaborated hairstyles in place.

The Greek and  the Romans had one thing in common when it comes to their hair; they loved to curl their hair using  a hot iron rod, made specially to curl their hair, causing damage to the hair by thinning it. 

Further readings for Greek and Roman civilization.

  

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