Tuesday, January 13, 2015

The Experimental Archeology of Hairdressing

The concept 'experimental archaeology' conceptually sits uneasily; but the Wall Street Journal reported that a beautician in Baltimore did, through trial and error, determine a possible way in which ancient Roman women could have gotten those elaborate coiffures seen in murals and statues.

No, they did not use wigs; they sewed them together.

Her findings were published in an archaeological journal.  I'm pleased that the editor accepted an article from a nonprofessional archaeologist.  Also, I'm glad that an occasional person is enterprising enough to contribute to the sum total of knowledge.

Now maybe one of her customers will ask her to give her an ancient Roman 'do.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324900204578286272195339456

2 comments:

  1. In the 60s we "ratted" our hair into huge curls and top knots on our heads, then wrapped them at night to keep them in place. The hair spray folks made a fortune!

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  2. I was thinking they plastered their heads but that was the Egyptians wasn't it?

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