Project Prehistoric Hair

[Siv]

So I started looking into prehistoric hairstyles (because, nerd :lol:) and collected som illustrative pictures that I thought I'd share. I also figured I'd make my own thread even though there are some really good ones on general historical hairstyles (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=89087) as well as specifically on the prehistoric Elling woman braid (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=14032).

A lot of the prehistoric hair that we know of are from bog bodies (typically people sacrificed to the gods by being drowned in a bog - Danes, I'm looking at you especially!) and they are not the prettiest to look at nor the easiest to actually see what the hair looked like in the pictures of them online. So I looked at said morbid pictures and read the descriptions and found approximative pictures of hairstyles that are similar.

I've looked at bog bodies for northern Europe (~Bronze age) as well as Venus figurines from central Europe (~23 000 BCE). There are definitely depictions of hair from Ancient Greece and Rome that are somewhat contemporary with the younger pictures I've included, but I haven't focused on them simply because I was more interested in the peoples that feature in my own ancestry, i.e. Bronze age northern Europe and Palaeolithic continental Europe. :shrug: (also some ancient Steppe/Siberian in there but while they had cool tattoos (https://www.google.com/search?q=Princess+of+Ukok+tattoos&sxsrf=ALeKk00voB-iZL2zzp4YIBeGz3wUjwmU1A:1615554592967&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiDx4Pt6arvAhVtoosKHVozD-IQ_AUoAXoECBUQAw&biw=1089&bih=736), I didn't find much on hair!)

(Imgur album is here (https://imgur.com/a/41Ycsnk))

From youngest to oldest:

https://i.imgur.com/mxpzM7ml.png

Not dated, bog body from Denmark
51 cm / 20.5 inches long hair
Similar hairstyles are depicted in the Viking era (793-1066 CE) so I'm adding the picture at the top
FOR REFERENCE, what it looks like on me >>> (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=153892&p=3867513&viewfull=1#post3867513)

https://i.imgur.com/wqoyXBGl.png

~ 54 BCE - 128 CE Netherlands
Ca 50 cm or 20 inches long
FOR REFERENCE, what it looks like on me >>> (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=153892&p=3867514&viewfull=1#post3867514)

https://i.imgur.com/kERdHf8l.jpg

~ 150 BCE Germany
~ 100 CE Germany
Called a "Suebian knot", described in Roman documents
FOR REFERENCE, what it looks like on me >>> (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=153892&p=3867515&viewfull=1#post3867515)

https://i.imgur.com/x16bPLrl.png

~ 300 BCE Denmark
Shaved hair, thought to have been shaved as part of a sacrificial ritual

https://i.imgur.com/lYObdsWl.jpg

300 BCE Ireland
Shaved forehead, oiled hair, a top knot folded forward in a "fake mohawk" - could it simply have come loose a bit?
FOR REFERENCE, what it looks like on me >>> (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=153892&p=3869323&viewfull=1#post3869323)

https://i.imgur.com/t0ftjAfl.png

~ 350 BCE Denmark
Thought to be a "big chop" at big life events like marriage
Possibly sacrificed to the gods in the bog
One was described as 40 cm long but as you can see they are of varying length. On me (I'm 166cm/5'5") a 40 cm braid would roughly reach from neck to slightly above WL. So my WL hair would probably have a 40 cm long braid.

[Siv]

https://i.imgur.com/MviC1EXl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/jslBQwom.gif

Loepsie has a great tutorial on this!!: https://youtu.be/G56p539otag
~ 350 -150 BCE Denmark
90 cm long hair (possibly measured from middle part?) on me (166 cm/5'5") it's about classic length

FOR REFERENCE What it looks like on me >>> (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=153892&p=3877722&viewfull=1#post3877722)


https://i.imgur.com/ldeDiyel.jpg

~ 1300 BCE Denmark
Hairdo with a hair rat
Description:

"The Skrydstrup woman, though only around 18 years of age, dates to around 1300 BC and had an elaborate hairdo, with the hair pulled forward over a pad (possibly made of her own hair), then tied round the head with thread plaited into the hair. This was then covered in a hairnet made from horse hair. The National Museum of Denmark has created a handy do-it-yourself guide (left)."
Source: https://richlyadorned.wordpress.com/2017/01/31/hairdos-in-prehistoric-europe/

https://i.imgur.com/ZO77HcVl.png

~ 1350 BCE Denmark
Described as "page boy haircut"

https://i.imgur.com/APMnnOml.png

~ 1370 BCE Denmark
Described as shoulder length (female). Was found with a hair net in the grave.
On me, shoulder length from middle part is 33 cm or 13 inches.

https://i.imgur.com/qYSOIOCl.png

~ 1400 BCE Denmark
Basically milkmaid braid that was secured via hair taping. A leather cord was wrapped around the braids, not braided into them as shown in the picture.
I need about BSL hair or about 50 cm / 20 inches from middle part
FOR REFERENCE, what it looks like on me >>> (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=153892&p=3880267&viewfull=1#post3880267)

https://i.imgur.com/SQmofkLl.png

~ 3000 BCE Austria/Italy
~ 41 BCE - 128 CE Germany
Shoulder length hair (male)

https://i.imgur.com/Bo6Y9ZRl.png

~ 5000 BCE Bulgaria (left picture)
Not a lot of literature on these ones but I'm seeing: corn rows, short center parted hair, hair cover or curly hair à la the venus figures?

https://i.imgur.com/LlXYwiml.png

~ 23 000 BCE venus figures of central Europe (the two top rows of pictures)
Several figurines have been found with ambiguously depicted hair around central Europe, e.g. Germany and Slovakia. It's been theorised that they're representing some sort of hair cover, curly hair, or corn rows. Could the hair cover be a hair net like the one depicted in the sketch above (which is from much later in ~1370 BCE)?

[Feral_]

What a fantastic thread! Great links and information.. I too am a nerd for such things. Amazing the preservation qualities of organic matter in bogs. When I worked on an archaeological dig in the southern UK we found leather shoes very well preserved in peat bogs. Makes you wonder how many unearthed bodies there are. Ireland still has peat bogs, so potential for discoveries there, I think all of the UK ones have been dug now.

[Bri-Chan]

Siv thank you for this thread!

[Eastbound&Down]

So fascinating! Thanks for doing all that hard work to share with us!

[baanoo]

I love this! Thank you so much, Siv, for starting it. :o

[Siv]

Thank you all for taking an interest :flower:

And @Feral_ being present at a dig must've been so cool! Consider me jealous!!

[GordonMurphella]

Oh. My. Goodness.

This is easily the coolest thing I've ever seen. Thank you Siv, this just. Cool. Cool cool cool. Thank you for this post!

[Siv]

Thank you @Gordon! :flower:

I had another thought if someone has interests in other prehistoric cultures: I think Ancient Egypt existed the BCE-era and I suppose it would count as prehistoric? They're bound to have a bunch of material on their hair like carvings and paintings in graves, mummies, etc. Also China and surrounding areas had mummies in ancient times, as well as loads of other material I'd bet. Just off the top of my head I'd suggest the Terracotta Army which I believe was made in the 200's BCE.

[SelenVinland]

Silvousplaits on YouTube did tutorials for the suebian knot, the ehling woman, the arden woman and a few other bog body hairstyles.

I’m also a bit of a nerd for this stuff, the bog bodies are really interesting just because of how well they’re preserved. Very interesting stuff IMO.

[Siv]

Silvousplaits on YouTube did tutorials for the suebian knot, the ehling woman, the arden woman and a few other bog body hairstyles.

I’m also a bit of a nerd for this stuff, the bog bodies are really interesting just because of how well they’re preserved. Very interesting stuff IMO.

Oh yes I like that video (https://youtu.be/Jj1mPtlmTZU)!!

Just one mildly annoying thing - she calls it the "Historical Hairstyles: the Real Hairstyles Worn by Viking Women" and description: "Doing your hair like a stylized Viking shieldmaiden looks awesome and has gotten really popular. But how did the real Viking women wear their hair all those centuries ago? Watch this tutorial to find out!" Three hair do's, two of which are from 1400 BCE (Arden braid, the milkmaid braid in the OP) and 350 BCE (Elling braid, also in the OP). The Viking age spanned from 793-1066 CE... so she's off by a couple of millennia or so :lol::lol: which she does acknowledge in the video and I do understand that content creators need good searchable titles, but my eyebrow twitched slightly

[lapis_lazuli]

This is amazing, Siv!!

[Eastbound&Down]

Thank you @Gordon! :flower:

I had another thought if someone has interests in other prehistoric cultures: I think Ancient Egypt existed the BCE-era and I suppose it would count as prehistoric? They're bound to have a bunch of material on their hair like carvings and paintings in graves, mummies, etc. Also China and surrounding areas had mummies in ancient times, as well as loads of other material I'd bet. Just off the top of my head I'd suggest the Terracotta Army which I believe was made in the 200's BCE.

Yes, have you ever heard of Lady Dai, she was an ancient Asian woman found in such amazing condition that they knew her cause of death was heart failure and her last meal was melon! Definitely worth a look, Ask a Mortician did a whole video on her!

[Siv]

Yes, have you ever heard of Lady Dai, she was an ancient Asian woman found in such amazing condition that they knew her cause of death was heart failure and her last meal was melon! Definitely worth a look, Ask a Mortician did a whole video on her!

Oh gods I googled her and her mummy is HORRIFYING :bigeyes: that being said, I found this blogpost (https://fate-magical-girls.tumblr.com/post/180601477344/some-womens-hairdos-of-the-han-dynasty)on Han dynasty women's hair, including Lady Dai! Apparently she wore some sort of updo with hair extensions!

[Lorelay]

I don't know what is the most impressive to me, the fact that some of those bodies are so well preserved, or the fact that people are able to understand how the hairstyles were made, even if they are quite damaged !
amazing work of research !

[Eastbound&Down]

Oh gods I googled her and her mummy is HORRIFYING :bigeyes: that being said, I found this blogpost (https://fate-magical-girls.tumblr.com/post/180601477344/some-womens-hairdos-of-the-han-dynasty)on Han dynasty women's hair, including Lady Dai! Apparently she wore some sort of updo with hair extensions!

I know, so interesting!

[cestlavie]

Awesome thread! History is a great interest of mine (besides hair haha) so I can't wait to read more of this :)

[Jane99]

What a cool thread! Although I wonder how prehistoric people would have shaved a head... I would think it would be difficult to make a razor edge with limited technology

[neko_kawaii]

What a cool thread! Although I wonder how prehistoric people would have shaved a head... I would think it would be difficult to make a razor edge with limited technology

Stone is very, very sharp.

[Siv]

I've been working on making my own versions for a few of the hairstyles and thought I'd add them here! Because you can't post more than 10 pictures per post I'll be posting pictures in new posts below and linking them in the OP. I'll be "double posting" but I thought this makes the most sense. Also, it's an ongoing project so I'll probably be making more recreations in the future. So far (as of March 19th) I've done the first three hairstyles.

First out is the undated bun from Denmark, possibly 3rd century BC or older but similar styles were very common in the Viking/Iron age 700-1000 CE.

As far as I understand most hairstyles on bog bodies were thought to be fastened with leather cords or woven bands. That being said, hair sticks have been found in Viking age graves for examples, and it's not a difficult concept, so I'm using my own hair forks for this one... it's just a regular knot bun.

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=39667&d=1578145605

[Siv]

Next is the girl with loose long hair dating to ~ 54 BCE - 128 CE and found in the Netherlands. Her hair was ca 50 cm or 20 inches long.

This pic is originally from my hairtyping post years ago but coincidentally - the length is just below my shoulder blades or bra-strap length. On me, if I measure from my middle part to the ends, this is about 50 cm on me. The girl in the bog was only about 4'11" or 150 cm so 50 cm would probably be a bit longer on her as I'm 5'5" or 166 cm.

(Also, I know the norm here is to measure from front of the hair but I think it's more likely the scientists just measured top to bottom)

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38306&d=1567075054

[Siv]

Sorry about the huge picture....

At least two bodies with this hairstyle have been found. I'm not an expert on the topic, but Google found me one form ~150 BC and one from ~100 CE, both in Germany.

The Suebian knot was typically worn on the side of the head but I tried that and... just no. It looks like a dangly floppy thing... :uhh: (it's on my instagram though if anyone wan't a laugh...). Also their hair was a lot shorter because my knot is about four times as long. The Suebians was an umbrella term for several different peoples living in what is today Germany and the Czech republic. The Suebian knot got its name from the Romans who described and named it in their documents.

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=44807&d=1616147205

[Eastbound&Down]

Beautiful, Siv! That last one is so aesthetically pleasing!

[BexLocks]

I love the idea of recreating ancient hairstyles. I tried the Suebian knot last year. I also thought having it on the side was strange, so I did it at the back. My hair is about waist length in the photo.
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=42730&d=1601480717

[lakhesis]

Thank you for this thread and all the research, Siv!! very interesting!

[Eastbound&Down]

I love the idea of recreating ancient hairstyles. I tried the Suebian knot last year. I also thought having it on the side was strange, so I did it at the back. My hair is about waist length in the photo.
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=42730&d=1601480717

So pretty!

[BexLocks]

So pretty!

Thank you!

[baanoo]

Oohh I like these Suebian knot ponies - much better than the side-of-the-head look. Both of yours, Bex & Siv, look fab.

I am a bit of a nerd as well, and several years ago read a really interesting book on the bog people - as well as one on the mummies from Ürümchi. The author of the Ürümchi book is a well-known historian whose written extensively about prehistoric textiles (her books are so good!) and while there’s more focus on clothing in that book there’s some hair discussion too, if I remember correctly. I’ve been loving this thread and am excited about the research you’re doing, Siv!

[Feral_]

Stone is very, very sharp.

Flint especially is razor sharp. That would easily cut hair as it slices through animal hide like a hot knife through butter. I did a flint knapping workshop and learnt lots. The skill prehistoric people had to make the variety of tools just blows me away.

[neko_kawaii]

Flint especially is razor sharp. That would easily cut hair as it slices through animal hide like a hot knife through butter. I did a flint knapping workshop and learnt lots. The skill prehistoric people had to make the variety of tools just blows me away.

Yep. Never underestimate the ingenuity of humanity, wherever and whenever they lived.

[Ylva]

A good example is birch tar, which was produced by Neanderthals and up until a few thousand years ago. Then it was forgotten about and not rediscovered until the industrial age.

[Siv]

Here's the folded forward bun from 300 BCE, Ireland. I'm not gonna shave my forehead (lol) but I typically oil my hair and just doing a pile of hair in an oblong shape wasn't too hard! Excuse the humongous pictures, again.

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=44874&d=1616777132
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=44875&d=1616777164

[ynne]

I love this thread! I had no idea Suebian knot is so local for me. The folded bun turned out really well.

[Eastbound&Down]

Here's the folded forward bun from 300 BCE, Ireland. I'm not gonna shave my forehead (lol) but I typically oil my hair and just doing a pile of hair in an oblong shape wasn't too hard! Excuse the humongous pictures, again.

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=44874&d=1616777132
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=44875&d=1616777164

But the shaved forehead really *completes the look* lol jk, it looks really nice and practical.

[Ylva]

Fantastic pics, Siv! Maybe the shaved forehead style should be my go-to. My forehead is so big I might as well pretend I shaved it that way.

[Siv]

I love this thread! I had no idea Suebian knot is so local for me. The folded bun turned out really well.

I'm glad it's appreciated! :flower:

I think the Suebian knot is a really neat style and the "historical connection" to it is kind of an emotional thing for me? I dunno, it's a bit odd, but I like doing "local hairstyles" :shrug: my mom has deep ancestry from the Suebi area but the only local-local (Scandinavia) documented hairstyles are from the Iron age for me!


But the shaved forehead really *completes the look* lol jk, it looks really nice and practical.


Fantastic pics, Siv! Maybe the shaved forehead style should be my go-to. My forehead is so big I might as well pretend I shaved it that way.

Haha you guys! When my hair is pulled back I have pretty deep widow's peaks so if I shaved I'd look like Megamind hehe

(Jokes aside, high foreheads can definitely look really good, like Rihanna for example!)

[Finda]

Siv I keep following this threat, it's a great and interesting idea for a project. I think it super fascinating that you can tell people's hairdos after so much time has passed. And the folded forward bun looks great on you!

[Eastbound&Down]

I'm glad it's appreciated! :flower:

I think the Suebian knot is a really neat style and the "historical connection" to it is kind of an emotional thing for me? I dunno, it's a bit odd, but I like doing "local hairstyles" :shrug: my mom has deep ancestry from the Suebi area but the only local-local (Scandinavia) documented hairstyles are from the Iron age for me!





Haha you guys! When my hair is pulled back I have pretty deep widow's peaks so if I shaved I'd look like Megamind hehe

(Jokes aside, high foreheads can definitely look really good, like Rihanna for example!)

I also have a widow's peak, I actually had a coworker tell me a should shave it off "to make my hairline look better" I couple of years back.

[Ylva]

I have a very strong widow's peak as well and had no idea it was an undesirable trait! Ah, the things that people have the energy to fuss about!

[Feral_]

This thread is so good!

Why is a widows peak undesirable? I think it looks super cool on both sexes. I have one but it’s masked by my fringe, though the cow licks show it’s still there :rolleyes:

[Siv]

To be clear: I don't personally find widow's peaks undesirable on anyone and I don't feel self-conscious about my own either! I hope no one started feeling bad about their own because of something I said, in that case, I'm sorry :( I theorised that the forehead was shaved on the bog body because of widow's peaks though, which was because I've known a few men with early male pattern baldness where it started out as increasing widow's peaks and they felt fairly conscious about it :shrug: so the theory of why the forehead was shaved is very much based on current cultural norms, not whatever standards of beauty they had in 300 BCE...

[Ylva]

I didn't get the impression that YOU thought they were unattractive, not at all. :) I was just generally pondering on it!

[ZoeZ]

Widow's peak is definitely desirable in my eyes - I think they give lovely definition to the face (I don't have one unfortunately).

[Eastbound&Down]

To be clear: I don't personally find widow's peaks undesirable on anyone and I don't feel self-conscious about my own either! I hope no one started feeling bad about their own because of something I said, in that case, I'm sorry :( I theorised that the forehead was shaved on the bog body because of widow's peaks though, which was because I've known a few men with early male pattern baldness where it started out as increasing widow's peaks and they felt fairly conscious about it :shrug: so the theory of why the forehead was shaved is very much based on current cultural norms, not whatever standards of beauty they had in 300 BCE...

No, not at all! I have grown to love my widow's peak. My mom, dad, and sister both have one, so I think of it as a family trait.

[Siv]

:heartbeat:heartbeat

hearts to all of you!

[Siv]

Hellloooo again!

I've been MIA for a month (heh) but I did the Elling braid finally!!

I did the simple version because her braid was ridiculously complicated and I didn't even like the look of it (heh)

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=45162&d=1619452555 https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=45163&d=1619452572

Presuming the tail was originally fastened with a stick or similar but either came loose during the sacrificial or decomposed over the centuries in the bog.

[Feral_]

Siv that braid is gorgeous and such a cool look on you. Nice fork too.

[foreveryours]

Hellloooo again!

I've been MIA for a month (heh) but I did the Elling braid finally!!

I did the simple version because her braid was ridiculously complicated and I didn't even like the look of it (heh)

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=45162&d=1619452555 https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=45163&d=1619452572

Presuming the tail was originally fastened with a stick or similar but either came loose during the sacrificial or decomposed over the centuries in the bog.

Wow, that is awesome!

[Finda]

Awesome Siv! And so interesting! This project makes me want to do more reasearch on the topic.

[baanoo]

I loooove this - just started following you on insta after tatsu linked to this photo!

[Siv]

Thank you guys! :flower: and baanoo - I followed you back! I love finding LHCers on insta too!! :D

[BexLocks]

Your Elling braid looks fantastic, siv! I think the fork is a good interpretation.

[Siv]

Thank you @BexLocks!! :flower:

[Siv]

Final instalment from me! I don't own a hair net and am not interested in doing cornrows or cutting back to shoulder length, so the oldest styles someone else will have to do :) This is the milkmaid-braids from ~1400 BCE! I realised I don't like hair-taping much and prefer braiding ribbons into the hair and then just tying them.

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=45228&d=1620209339

https://i.imgur.com/XYIB41Wm.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/BaeSY2Em.jpg

[purple_omelette]

Great thread, Siv!! Thanks for all the pics and links, I'm definitely getting inspired!

[Bright]

This is such a cool thread, thank you for sharing!

[Imaginaera]

I'm already a historical dress nerd, primarily because being able to envision the people of an era of the past as they would have looked is just... a captivating concept to me. Obsessed with hair + obsessed with historical dress... looks like I've found myself another rabbit hole to jump down! I've always been fascinated by bog bodies (I wasn't a Cartoon Network kid or a Disney Channel kid, I was a science and history documentaries kid. It shows.) Heck yes to mummies and bog bodies and such.

[Alexandrina]

interesting pics! I love looking at old hairstyles, new hairstyles, any hairstyles lol

[lapis_lazuli]

Your styles are sooo cool, Siv. I love the ribbon milkmaid braids on you!

[Siv]

Thanks for showing interest everyone! :flower: I hope more people will try out styles and share some of their own research!

[purple_omelette]

Here is my version of the Elling Woman braided bun.
https://i.ibb.co/bgnHs7Y/elling-may-21.jpg (https://ibb.co/svr5Ktc)
https://i.ibb.co/3Y9dvJc/elling-may-21-3.jpg (https://ibb.co/n8NmBWj)
https://i.ibb.co/0QF3Ygc/elling-may-21-2.jpg (https://ibb.co/CWMFVkz)

I took the liberty of modifying it a little bit because I didn't like the bunched-up look of the bun at the end. I found that this way the bun looks more even.

Instructions:
Instead of splitting the hair in two (a top half and a bottom half, which are braided into the style independently), I split it into three: I English braided the top third down to halfway down my head, then added in the middle third (divided evenly between the three existing strands), English braided that to my nape, and added in the final third (still making sure to split this third evenly between the three strands). This gave me a braid that was anchored to the scalp in 3 places rather than two.

When making the bun, I looped the first loop between the middle and bottom anchor points, but then when I looped again, I went through the space between the top and middle anchor points. This is what gave the bun the more 'spread out' look. Obviously depending on the length of your hair, you could loop through each gap more than once, or you could create more gaps by splitting your hair into more sections from the beginning (which would make it look more like a French braid).

Finally, I secured with 3 spin pins.

[Tinyponies]

Omelette that looks so lovely. Your extra sectioning makes such a difference and weirdly I can’t see the extra bit, presumably due to your plait going through it. Now wishing I had small pins!
Eta I wonder if it would hold up with a 2 prong fork woven through it :hmm:

[purple_omelette]

Omelette that looks so lovely. Your extra sectioning makes such a difference and weirdly I can’t see the extra bit, presumably due to your plait going through it. Now wishing I had small pins!
Eta I wonder if it would hold up with a 2 prong fork woven through it :hmm:

Thank you Tinyponies :) I don't see why a fork shouldn't do the trick just as well as the spin pins do!

[Siv]

Looks lovely @purple_omelette!! I never did like the "gapping" I got with my version of the style, this looks so much neater

[lapis_lazuli]

That looks amazing, omelette, I love it! Your hair colour is so pretty too.

[purple_omelette]

Thank you Siv and lapis :)

[Miss Thyme]

That is a beautiful twist on the Elling braid bun!

[purple_omelette]

That is a beautiful twist on the Elling braid bun!

Thank you Miss Thyme :)