Here’s Everything You Need to Know About the History of Braids
In the last few years, the controversy that surrounds hair braiding has become a heated topic of discussion. While some people look at them as just a hairstyle, others feel it is part of their culture and tradition, and having hair braided in a certain style without belonging to a specific culture is a prime example of cultural appropriation.
Truth be told, braids have been around for thousands of years and have shown up in various cultures and societies, and no one group can claim that braids are theirs. The oldest evidence of braiding goes back around 30,000 years; a prime example is the Venus of Willendorf, a female figurine that is said to have been made around 28,000 – 25,000 BCE and depicts braids in its hair.
By the Bronze and Iron Age, around 1200 – 500BC, many people in Asia, North Africa, Caucasus, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Near East were depicted in art and sculptures with braided hair or beards. In some regions, braids were used as a means of communication and social stratification. Specific patterns determined which tribe a person hailed from, in addition to indicating a person’s age, wealth, marital status, power, and religion.
This is not to say that braids are universal to any of the mentioned regions. Braided hair and beards can be seen in numerous archaeological discoveries of the Vikings and were a spiritual practice in Native America. Medieval European society also promoted modesty and it was not accepted socially for women to expose their hair loose in public, so they wore it in thick, beautiful braids pinned to their heads, which would also serve to keep headpieces in place.
If you would like to make an appointment with a professional hair braiding consultant, please do not hesitate to call Janice Beauty Salon at (407) 264-9700 now if you live in the Orlando, FL region.