Indian hairstyles for men. The Real Princess Leias: Girls of the Hopi People and Their Hairstyles for the Initiation Rite. Basic types and forms of hairstyles

The indigenous people of America are called Indians. This name arose in the 15th century due to a mistake by the discoverer of the American continent, the European navigator Christopher Columbus. Sailing to the shores of America, he was sure that this was India. There is an assumption that the ancestors of modern Indians moved to the lands of the American continent from Northeast Asia through the Bering Strait and Alaska. For many centuries, the hardworking Indian population explored North and South America. Archaeological excavations have shown that even before colonization in the 16th century, there were numerous Indian tribes that were at different stages of development. This led to the emergence of several cultural and historical areas with characteristic features. Some people were engaged in fishing and hunting. Others cultivated the land, planted sunflowers, cotton, beans, maize, and tobacco. In the Andes they grew potatoes and raised livestock. Mostly Indians are nomadic herders and hunters. These include the Crow, Arapaho, and Methodota tribes. Some tribes gradually moved from a tribal society to a class-slave society. The Indians of Central America - the Aztecs, Incas, Mayans - created the first class states, which reached their peak in the 8th-3rd centuries BC. In their social structure, these city-states resembled Ancient Egypt, Babylon, and Sumer. At the head of each state was a ruler who was considered the personification of God on earth. He was surrounded by representatives of the family nobility and clergy. The ruling class mercilessly oppressed the farmers and slaves who lived in small villages around the main city. The labor of the population was very hard, since only stone and wooden tools were used. Community members and slaves worked hard on the construction of temples and palaces, built roads, gardens and reservoirs, providing an idle life for the priesthood and the tribal nobility.

For their time, the Indians were educated people. The surviving monuments of material culture testify to the high development of ancient sciences such as astronomy, botany, geography, history, medicine, and mathematics. The Mayan priests knew the periods of revolution of the five planets and were able to predict the onset of lunar eclipses; They calculated the exact length of the year and compiled a calendar. Europe in the Middle Ages did not know such discoveries. Indian tribes belong to the same racial group, despite their large numbers. They are similar to the Mongoloid race in their skin color, which ranges from light yellow to reddish brown. Indians are characterized by regular facial features. They are slim and lean. The hair is straight, coarse, black, long. Tall, slender men were considered handsome. They were supposed to be brave warriors. In his novels, F. Cooper often describes the appearance of Indian men and women.

Basic types and forms of hairstyles

Indian hairstyles are very simple. There were two types of hairstyles - braided braids (Fig. 4) and loose hair. Men wore their hair to shoulder length, with bangs cut on the forehead. Sometimes the temporal strands were twisted into strands or braided. Women's hairstyles consisted of buns and braids. Let's look at the hairstyles of some Indian tribes, which had their own individual characteristics.

The men of the Kuchin tribe wore their shoulder-length hair flowing, oiled and red ocher. Some combed their hair back and gathered it into a bun on the top of the head, unraveling the “scalp strand” (Fig. 5). Women wore their hair in braids.

Iroquois men shaved their heads clean, leaving only part of the hair in the form of a comb that ran from the forehead to the neck (Fig. 6). The “comb” was cut so that the hair stuck up. For thickness and stability, they were mixed with tufts of deer hair or feathers. Women's hairstyles consist of knots and buns that hang low on the neck. The hair was generously lubricated with oil, fat, clay or resin, and decorated with flowers.

Virginian men shaved the hair on only one side of their heads. The remaining hair was braided into a plait, which hung over the shoulder and was decorated with flowers, ribbons or a strap. Women parted their hair, rolled it up like a bagel, and pinned it over their ears. For strength, the hair was wound on rollers.

Mayan men's hairstyles consisted of combed hair arranged in buns on the top of the head. It was customary for noble children to deform their heads in childhood by placing them between two planks. During the initiation period, boys' faces were covered with hot rags to prevent beard growth. The hair on the head was completely shaved. Women wore buns and braids wrapped around their heads like a turban. Hairstyles were elegant and modest. Animal hair was often added to natural hair. Hair was dyed with vegetable dyes - juices of herbs, leaves and fruits. Decorated with flowers, feathers, ribbons.

The hairstyles of many Indian tribes served not only as decoration. Often they denoted one or another event in people’s lives: the birth of a child, the onset of maturity, initiation into warriors, marriage. In fact, they were of the same type, but could tell about the activities of a member of the tribe, his culture, way of life, and prosperity. Just like among the peoples of Africa, the hairstyles of the Indians reflected their position in the community. Since every tribe of Indians worshiped some kind of animal, their hairstyles, especially those of men, contained elements of the appearance of this animal. Thus, boys of the buffalo family wore two curled locks of hair on their heads, which stuck out on both sides like horns - in honor of the totem.

The Indians who revered the turtle wore six curls, which were supposed to resemble its shoulders, head, tail, and legs. The hairstyles of the tribes who worshiped the raven, eagle, horse, and ermine resembled the silhouettes of these birds and animals; they were decorated with horns, tails, feathers, fangs.

Hats, jewelry, cosmetics

The clothing of the Indians consisted of jackets and pants made of suede, and for women - skirts. The headdresses of Indian tribes were very diverse. The most common decoration was eagle feathers. The shape, position and number of feathers spoke of military merit. The Cree Indians, when going on a hike, wore headdresses decorated with bear or wolf claws. They wore small round hats studded with protruding feathers, symbolizing military valor. During celebrations, the Iroquois wore leather caps decorated with short feathers, among which one or two eagle feathers stuck out. The headdress of the elders of the tribe was a bandage made of deer skin, into which feathers were inserted, going down to the ground or located around the head. Tassels of red thread were attached to the ends of the feathers. The hats were made from deer skins and tufts of horsehair, painted with red paint, imitating enemy scalps. The leaders wore headdresses decorated with ermine and mink skins, as well as teeth, horns, animal bones, stuffed snakes, and feathers. Distinguished warriors had the right to wear raven feathers, could wear a stuffed hawk with outstretched wings on their heads, and feather bonnets. Some feather dresses were about two meters long and went down from head to toe. Feathers were selected according to tones, and headdresses were made over many months. The basis on which the feathers were attached was the bark of the ficus tree, corn fibers, fur and animal skins. Headdresses made from the feathers of the katzal bird, symbolizing freedom and independence, as well as hummingbirds and parrots, were especially valued. Feathers were selected strictly according to size and color. Often they shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow and from a distance seemed like a living bird. The shape and color of the headdresses were varied. Cylindrical headdresses placed one on top of the other signified high rank. Priests and shamans wore bulky headdresses that weighed several kilograms, and masks of animals and birds. Members of the tribe - headbands made of suede, leather, embroidered with beads, sequins, inlaid with metal plates or shells. In addition to headbands, cords, crowns, and crowns were worn, the latter on especially special occasions. To decorate headdresses, they used both precious metals and polished stones, hardened resins, processed roots and fruits.

Women's hats, as well as hairstyles, were much simpler than men's. The most typical is a headband embroidered with beads or inlaid with pieces of dyed fur. Mature women covered their heads with cloth scarves or suede caps that hid their hair. For celebrations they wore round leather hats with long pendants at the temples made of dried fruits and small stones. Girls wore wreaths woven from herbs or flowers. Hats reflected the taste of their owners; craftsmen took a long time to make them and were especially careful.

Jewelry was a necessary addition to both everyday and formal costumes. Both men and women wore jewelry on their necks, arms, and legs. All products, whether they were made of expensive or simple materials, were elegantly crafted. Especially a lot of decorations were worn on holidays, which lasted for weeks. By the nature of the decorations, it was possible to distinguish the tribal nobility of the community and establish the occupations of its members.

The Apache tribes wore bracelets made of horn and animal bones, and strips of suede were worn on their wrists. Armlets and embroidered belts were made from it (embroidered with porcupine quills). They also wore necklaces made of polished deer antlers, grizzly bear claws, and dental shells. Dried pea pods and brightly colored nuts were attached low above the ears, at the temples. Fur strips, brightly colored, served as unique neck decorations.

The Iroquois Indians valued copper jewelry. Leaders and nobles wore plaques and brooches made of silver and pearls. Jewelry made from the claws of a hawk or raven was placed into the earlobes. Women wore bracelets and rings.

The Indians of the North American steppes made a variety of jewelry from animal bones and shells. Men added decorations made from bird feathers to them. During the dances, they wore anklets made of dried peas or beans, strips woven from stems or dry herbs. Metal plates of various shapes were attached to the decorations, which were supposed to ring when moving.

South Indians wore jewelry made of beads and mother-of-pearl. Ornamented tubular bird bones were placed in the ears. Long flexible pins made of willow twigs, bone or horn were stuck into the hair buns. The ends of the hairpins were decorated with beads.

The Aztecs achieved special skill in making jewelry. They made necklaces of gold links studded with precious stones; gold bracelets, earrings in the form of tiny figures of animals and insects. The figurines were fastened into necklaces.

The Borro Indians decorated themselves with items made from reeds, seeds, shells, and animal teeth.

The Inca-Quechua Indians wore little jewelry. The leader prohibited the everyday wearing of jewelry. But it was possible to decorate teeth with plates of gold, jade, opal, and obsidian. The teeth were filed. Jade jewelry was considered the most expensive, more expensive than gold. Only the nobility had the right to wear jade jewelry - leaders, priests.

In 1931, Mexican archaeologist Alfonso Caso, excavating at Monte Alban near Oaxaca, found a treasure that clearly proved that the ancient Indians made their jewelry with extraordinary subtlety and grace. The Indians knew how to process rock crystal and hard precious stones. Among the scientist's finds were necklaces consisting of eight hundred identical links; brooch with the image of the god of death; openwork thimbles for preserving and decorating nails; fasteners made of jaguar teeth, turquoise, pearls; gold mask, snuff box made of gilded pumpkin leaves; fans, fans made from the feathers of the katsal bird; rings. The jewelry found in the burial told about how the Indians dressed and what they considered necessary to take with them to the deceased.

The cosmetics of Indian tribes were colorful and varied. Each tribe painted itself differently, using fragrant resins, charcoal, and plant dyes. The Indians of Brazil deformed certain parts of the face - nose, lips, earlobes. Among the Mayan tribes, slanting eyes were the standard of beauty.

The Cree Indians decorated parts of the face - nose, ears. A goose feather, a wooden or bone stick painted with ornaments was inserted into the nasal septum; there were huge rings and dried fruits in the ears.

The face was painted with ocher, lead, and soot. Many tribes resorted to tattooing. Her drawings have been made since childhood. The procedure was painful, the pattern appeared as the skin healed. The colors were bright - blue and red colors predominated.

Let us recall the lines of the American poet Henry Longfellow from his work “The Song of Hiawatha”: “... with yellow and red paint, scarlet and blue paint, his whole face shone; garlands of fragrant flowers were woven into his braids, oiled and parted like women’s herbs and leaves."

Questions and tasks

1. Tell us about the hairstyles of the African population. Sketch them.

2. Tell us about Indian hairstyles. Sketch male and female hairstyles.

3. What kind of jewelry did Africans and Indians wear?

additional literature

Africa. Encycl. directory. M., "Soviet Encyclopedia", vol. 1.

Art of Africa. M., "Science", 1967.

Art of the peoples of Africa. Essays about the artist. culture from antiquity to the present. M., "Art", 1971.

Kulik S. Safari. M., "Thought", 1975.

Peoples of Africa. Ethnogr. essays. M., Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1954.

Averkieva Yu. P. Indians of North America. From tribal society to class society. M., "Science", 1974.

Chulyaev V.I. America and the Old World in the Pre-Columbian era. M., "Science", 1968.

Zubritsky Yu. A. Inca-Quechua. The main stages of the history of the people. M., "Science", .1975.

Culture and life of the peoples of America. L., "Science", 1967.

The peoples of America. Part 1. Publishing house of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1959.

Mato N. My people are Sioux. M., "Mol. Guard", 1964.

Carr A. Windward road. Adventures of a naturalist on the distant shores of the Caribbean. M., Geographizdat, 1961.

Columbus H. Travels of Christopher Columbus. Letters, diaries, documents. M., Geographizdat, 1956.

Hairstyles of ancient India

Indian hairstyles are either braided hair or simply loose hair. Men's hairstyles consisted of shoulder-length hair, and the temporal parts of the hair were twisted into plaits or, sometimes, bangs were cut off.

Each Indian tribe had its own special hairstyles. For example, the men of the Khuchin tribe wore their hair down to their shoulders, which was smeared with red ocher and oil. There were also hairstyles with hair combed back and tied into a bun. Women braided their hair in regular braids.

There were some hairstyles in ancient times How - on a shaved head, they left part of the hair in the form of a comb that went from the forehead to the neck. The mohawk was always trimmed so that the hair clearly stuck up. For stability, the hair was mixed with feathers and deer hair.

Women's hairstyles included buns and knots of hair that went down to the neck. The hair was smeared with resin, clay and decorated with flowers.

By the hairstyles of many Indian tribes, one could even determine what event was happening to a person: marriage or initiation into war. You can also determine the culture, life and wealth of a person. Since each Indian tribe worshiped a specific animal, elements of the appearance of that animal could be seen in the hairstyles.

Tribes who worshiped the tortoise wore six locks of hair that resembled the head, tail and paws of a tortoise; A tribe that reveres the buffalo made hairstyles from locks that stuck out on the sides of the head, resembling the horns of a buffalo. Tails and totem horns were also used to decorate hairstyles, but the most common decoration was eagle feathers. Military merit was determined by the position and number of feathers.

Hairstyles of Ancient Greece

In Greece, hairdressing art was at a high level of development. By doing ancient hairstyles Greeks, the rules of harmony and aesthetics were observed, and with the help of hairstyles they emphasized the structure of the human body as a perfect creation of nature. With the development of Greek society, the hairstyle began to emphasize the social status of its owner.

Men's hairstyles were made from long hair that fell over the shoulders and back. Also, hairstyles were similar to women's: curled curls, braided braids, laid in low buns, which were simple. The most common hairstyle was braids braided behind the ears, which wrapped around the head in two rows. Thick bangs were made on the forehead, which were styled in ring-shaped curls.

During the heyday of the Greek state, notes of femininity began to be present in men's hairstyles (the hairstyle of Apollo Belvedere). Hairstyles were made from long curled strands, placed above the forehead in a light bow. Women's hairstyles were done with clear buns and knots.

« Getera's Hairstyle“- tightly braided strands at the back of the head, which over time began to be made from curled hair using a frame and received a new name - “Greek knot”. This hairstyle began to be considered classic in Ancient Greece.

Hairstyles of ancient Rome

The ancient Romans paid special attention to hairdressing. For a long time, the Romans used the Greek style until they developed their own; this style became much richer than the Greek one 300 years before the new era.

All possible haircut styles were presented in men's hairstyles. The characteristic hairstyle of the Roman style was a hairstyle with thick bangs that reached the eyebrows, and the rest of the hair was cut to the level of the earlobe. Hairstyles were quite simple, hair was cut short and the face was shaved clean.

With the advent of Christianity a new type of haircut— « tonsure" All clergymen had this haircut; with this haircut, the front of the head was well shaved. And today ministers of the Greek Catholic Church cut their hair this way.

Women had hair that was styled in tight, voluminous buns, and their hair was curled and braided in various ways. When blonde slaves appeared in Rome, Roman women also began to bleach their hair. It was assumed that the bleaching was done with sulfur or copper-containing preparations, but the exact method remained a secret.

Later, long hair began to interfere with battles and hairstyles with short hair appeared.

Hairstyles of Ancient Egypt

Archaeological finds have shown that the evolution of hairstyles in Egypt occurred very slowly. The hair was braided into small braids and cut to the ears; the hairstyle was shaped like a trapezoid. In Egypt, men and women already wore wig hair, which was braided into tight parallel braids arranged in dense rows. The size and shape of a wig could determine a person's social status.

A distinctive feature of all hairstyles in Egypt was the severity and clarity of lines; these hairstyles are called “geometric”. The hair lay tightly around the face on both sides, with the ends trimmed evenly. Men shaved their beards with a special crescent-shaped device made of stone or bronze and wore artificial beards made of hair, which were attached with laces to a clean-shaven chin.

The common people's hairstyles looked modest and reserved, while noble people's hairstyles were pompous. The pharaoh and his entourage wore large wigs; farmers, warriors and artisans wore small round wigs.

Women's hairstyles gradually broke this monotony of trapezoidal wigs. Wigs began to be made from animal hair, rope, silk threads and plant fibers.

Hairstyles of ancient Rus'

Combs and other items used by hairdressers discovered by archaeologists indicate that the Slavs paid quite a lot of attention to hair care.

Married women wore bunched buns hidden under a scarf; girls had their hair loose, sometimes with bangs or braided with headbands. Men's hairstyles were long, falling to the shoulders, and artificially curled mustaches.

With the development of socio-economic living conditions, correction came to hairdressing. Working women began to wear short hair, those who did not dare to cut their hair, made hairstyles from long hair, braiding it over the forehead in a basket, or wrapping it at the back in the form of a “pie”. Hair was also covered with red scarves, small scarves and berets.

In Rus', men always wore semi-long hair covering the back of their heads. They combed their hair in the form of caps, in all directions from the top of the head. Short-cropped hair is considered a sign of slavery. Beards were grown from a young age, starting from the cheeks; the shapes were very diverse: double, wedge-shaped. The mustache was also grown and pulled down into the beard.

It has long been a custom that married women had to cover their hair, and only girls could go bare-haired. Ribbons and braids were girls' headdresses; rich women had silk headbands embroidered with patterns; sometimes a wide hoop could replace the ribbon. In the X-XIII centuries they began to braid a thick braid, and one at a time. The design of men's hairstyles has not changed much.

Only at the end of the 16th century, some boyars and nobles began to use a style of oriental origin - they exposed hair around the entire head, leaving only the crown. This hairstyle caused condemnation from the church. Growing a mustache and beard remained unchanged, shaving them was condemned. A large wide beard symbolized the integrity of a man.

Ukrainian girls always wore their hair open and parted in the middle. They often braided braids, often just one, and wove gold, silver, pearl threads and colored laces into them. The braid was also placed around the head in a wreath, and loosely hanging ribbons of multi-colored fabrics were woven. Women did not wear headscarves or headscarves. The ceremonial hairstyles were wreaths of flowers and spikelets; tall wedding wreaths were woven from such wreaths and decorated in various ways. The shape of the wreaths was made round, widened towards the top, reminiscent of the shape of a kokoshnik.

Hats occupied an important place in women's hats; the most popular type was the “ship” hat. It was made of velvet, silk or brocade. Ribbons were sometimes attached to the “boat”, falling down the back. In winter they wore flat fur hats.

Hairstyles of Ancient China

In ancient China, a hairstyle twisted into a tight plait and secured at the crown with a hairpin was considered masculine. Boys' hair was shaved off, leaving the top of their head, which was tied with a ribbon.

With the advent of Manchu rule, men shaved the front of their heads and braided the hair at the back of their heads. This hairstyle was considered a symbol of oppression of the Chinese people; during riots, the braid was cut off as a protest.

Women's hairstyles were a little more complex with many partings, loops, and braids. All kinds of bundles were also made, which were held in place by coating with adhesives.

Indian hairstyles were extremely simple. There were two types: braided hair and loose hair. Men wore their hair to shoulder length, with bangs cut on the forehead. Sometimes the temporal strands were twisted into bundles or braided. Women's hairstyles consisted of buns and braids.

Each Indian tribe had its own individual characteristics. The men of the Huchin tribe wore their hair flowing down to their shoulders, oiled and red ocher. Some combed them back and gathered them into a bun on the top of their heads, unraveling the “scalp strand.” Women wore their hair in braids.

Iroquois men shaved their heads clean, leaving only part of the hair in the form of a comb that ran from the forehead to the neck. The “comb” was cut so that the hair stuck up. For thickness and stability, they were mixed with tufts of deer hair or feathers. Women's hairstyles consist of knots and buns that hang low on the neck. The hair was generously smeared with oil, clay or resin, and decorated with flowers.

The hairstyles of many Indian tribes served not only as decoration. Often they denoted one or another event in life: the birth of a child, the onset of maturity, initiation into warriors, marriage. In fact, the hairstyles were of the same type, but they could tell about the activities of a member of the tribe, his culture, way of life, and prosperity. Just like the peoples of Africa, the hairstyles of the Indians reflected their position in the community. Since each tribe of Indians worshiped a specific animal, elements of the appearance of this animal were found in hairstyles, especially for men. Thus, boys of the buffalo family wore two curled locks of hair on their heads, which stuck out on both sides like horns - in honor of the totem. The Indians who revered the turtle wore six curls, which were supposed to resemble its shoulders, head, tail, and legs. The hairstyles of the tribes who worshiped the raven, eagle, horse, and ermine resembled the silhouettes of these birds and animals; they were decorated with horns, tails, and feathers.

The headdresses of Indian tribes were very diverse. The most common decoration was eagle feathers. The shape, position and number of feathers spoke of military merit. The body was covered with geometric designs and painted with black and red paints.

The cosmetics of Indian tribes were colorful and varied. Each tribe painted itself differently, using fragrant resins, charcoal, and plant dyes. The Indians of Brazil deformed certain parts of the face - nose, lips, earlobes. Among the Mayan tribes, slanting eyes were the standard of beauty. The Cree Indians decorated parts of the face, nose, ears. A goose feather, a wooden or bone stick painted with ornaments was inserted into the nasal septum; there were huge rings and dried fruits in the ears. The face was painted with ocher, lead, and soot.

The Indian tribes that inhabited South America before the arrival of Europeans preferred to wear hairstyles reminiscent of the European bowl haircut. It was quite simple to make such a work of hairdressing art. For this purpose, they used a vessel of suitable size and a tool that vaguely resembled modern scissors in appearance.

If a special cutting device was not at hand, the Indians used other available means. A small torch was used. The master performing the “haircut” blew through a torch onto the “client’s” hair bordered by a vessel. At the same time, a semblance of a fiery jet appeared, which slightly burned the hair. At this time, the assistant was diligently moistening the firing areas with a wet rag made from palm leaves.

The fire-treated hair was then anointed with aromatic compounds.

North American Indians: hairstyle for a real warrior

Representatives of the ancient Indian tribes that inhabited North America had a greater variety of hairstyles. Often long hair was simply let loose over the shoulders. The hairstyles of men and women included bangs, plaits made from temporal strands, and braids. Hair was often dyed with the juice of leaves, herbs and fruits, and then decorated with ribbons, flowers and feathers.

As a rule, a hairstyle was a symbol of belonging to a certain clan or tribe.

Known from adventure novels and films, the Iroquois usually shaved most of their head, leaving only a kind of “comb” in its middle part. For thickness, this type of clothing was mixed with feathers or animal hair. Iroquois women wore braids or tied their hair into a knot.

In some tribes, warriors shaved almost all the hair on their heads, leaving only the so-called “scalp strand.” This hairstyle made it easier for the enemy to scalp the defeated Indian. The Indians not only considered death in battle honorable, but also in some way took care of their enemy, leaving behind him the right to receive a well-deserved trophy in the form of a scalp without unnecessary hassle.

Indian hairstyle as an indicator of status

For many Native American tribes, hairstyle was an indicator of their status in the group. The chiefs and military leaders of the Indians richly decorated their hair, most often using feathers for these purposes. By the color, shape and splendor of the plume of feathers one could judge the place that the Indian occupied in his tribe.

Simple warriors and hunters could only afford individual feathers that were woven into their braids.

A completely shaved head was considered a symbol of indelible shame among a number of tribes. They usually shaved the heads of slaves, criminals or divorced wives. For this reason, anyone who once had their entire head shaved was considered a slave for the rest of their days and occupied the lowest level in the social hierarchy.