Ancient hair toys (Crete)

[wendyg]

So, I was visiting Crete last week and a friend and I went through (what's currently open of) the Archaeological Museum, which is mostly closed for renovations.

We found this - the label said it was a hairpin:

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee36/gwyndred/crete-ancienthairpin.jpg

Any thoughts how it might have been used? I forgot to note which period it's from, but everything there was two or more thousand years B.C.

Also, a note. This is what alabaster *really* looks like. The dymondwood manufacturer is just nuts:

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee36/gwyndred/crete-alabasterjugs.jpg

wg

[SimplyViki]

That's what I thought alabaster looked like. Never made any sense why the dymondwood stuff was that weird green/blue color. I mean, it's pretty, but not well named.

ETA: Cool hair pin. I guess they probably used it just like a hairstick. But I'm not sure, and I'm no good at history. :p

[Wavelength]

Yep, that dymondwood colour name always confused the heck out of me, too. Alabaster is white or pale ivory. In Victorian novels, you always heard about the heroine having an "alabaster brow" or "alabaster skin".

I'm pretty sure they didn't mean her skin was blue-green! :D

As for the hairpin, I expect they used it like a hairstick, and perhaps wound some strands around the hook at the top to give some volume to their hairstyle. I'm trying to recall art from that time period. Didn't the women usually have curls at the crown? Maybe that's what the hook was for -- to keep the curls in shape.

[Melisande]

http://www.greek-thesaurus.gr/images/p3/knossos_parissien.jpg

Yes, this lovely Minoan lady has open curls and is obviously made up (hence her nickname "la Parisienne"...)

But the snake goddess has an updo and a head covering, maybe even a wig like the Egyptians. So I guess the hair pin was used in a similar fashion as we use it today - to hold the hair either loosely in a sort of half up or to keep it tight under a covering.

http://clouddragon.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/feminism-minoansnakegoddess2a.jpg

[wendyg]

Ah, yes, we saw the snake lady. She was wearing a cat on her head. (I do have a photo.)

wg

[fluffybunny]

Wow, the snake goddess' costume is like something you'd wear in one of those bad dreams where you go out without all your clothes, and for some reason you have a cat on your head and a snake in each hand. I hate those dreams.

[Dars]

Perhaps the hair pin is not all there, after all it is old.:twocents:

[wendyg]

Dars: possibly, but it didn't *look* broken. And it's gold - there was a dagger nearby where the bronze blade was blackened and decrepit (it looked like burned wood), but where the gold hilt was bright and shining and looked practically new. Gold holds up pretty well, it seems.

wg

[Iylivarae]

Maybe it was part of some sort of a hair-brooch... or they used it as a hair-stick and the upper part was just there for decoration... or they wrapped nice ribbons around it to use them in their hairstyle... I don't think that they had amish pins to fix them in other ways...?

[Anje]

How big was the pin? I'm thinking either it was just used like a hair stick, or perhaps part of it is broken off and it was originally shaped like an amish pin (and probably would be used like one, too).

[LadyEliza]

Alabaster is also a stone - and that interests me because those things are obviously turned on a lathe, and are that old! Shows how long the principle of the lathe has been around :)

[gmdiaz]

Hmmmm. . .wonder if the hook is a place to anchor a wire rig? Sort of a simple architectural Bumpet/hairpin.

Didn't the Roman's wear something similar to boost their hair "volumn" and height to achieve those super glam hair styles?

[herbgurl82]

So, I was visiting Crete last week and a friend and I went through (what's currently open of) the Archaeological Museum, which is mostly closed for renovations.

We found this - the label said it was a hairpin:

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee36/gwyndred/crete-ancienthairpin.jpg

Any thoughts how it might have been used? I forgot to note which period it's from, but everything there was two or more thousand years B.C.

I am thinking that Iylivarae is right, with the curved top part as decoration.



Also, a note. This is what alabaster *really* looks like. The dymondwood manufacturer is just nuts:

The first time I saw an alabaster hairpin on Ebay, I did a double take, because I thought that the picture was mislabeled.

[nowxisxforever]

Wow, the snake goddess' costume is like something you'd wear in one of those bad dreams where you go out without all your clothes, and for some reason you have a cat on your head and a snake in each hand. I hate those dreams.

lmao! Whaaat? You must have some craazy dreams, girl.... lol! :cheese:

[Flynn]

Perhaps the hair pin is not all there, after all it is old.:twocents:

My thoughts too.

[Tangerine]

Wow, the snake goddess' costume is like something you'd wear in one of those bad dreams where you go out without all your clothes, and for some reason you have a cat on your head and a snake in each hand. I hate those dreams.

tee hee, yup, sounds familiar. :lol:

[Redheaded Raven]

Really cool pics wg I love seeing old hair toys :D