Other hairstyles existed in Norse culture. Since there is so much evidence that multiple cultures embraced some form of dreadlocks, and no way to determine the exact origins of this style, many people believe that wearing dreads is perfectly acceptable for people of a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Comments like those mentioned earlier are not isolated and further reinforce the role of education as a tool to dismantle racism at its base. Dreadlocks would be totally out of the question. Source http://www.historyofyork.org.uk/themes/viking/viking-male-grooming, Your email address will not be published. Viking society was divided into several social classes, and hairstyling could have been an important marker for a Vikings status. In the Fifties and Sixties, when immigrants came to the UK from former colonies in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, they faced discrimination not just because of the colour of their skin. The Vikings were very concerned with -and proud of- their personal hygiene. Last year I started the Instagram account @in.hair.itance, to celebrate the diversity of hair in non-white cultures across the globe. You will Learn in this Post hide 1. It was simply practical and common back then to keep your face covered with hair. However, braids are not dreadlocks, and it is not always possible to tell from these images which are being depicted.[8][9]. In Season 1 of Vikings, Rollo attacks the island of Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island because of its monastery, and kills Father Cuthbert, an elderly monk. Therefore, although modern versions of Viking hairstyles are popular today, the styles containing braids are, unfortunately, not accurate to how Norsemen looked during the Viking age. A typical Viking hairstyle would perhaps consist of a mixture of short hair all around with some parts braided or tied up in a bun. It could be that Vikings simply liked having their hair combed. They are celebrated as bringers of wealth and only their mothers are allowed to touch their hair. Some sources suggest they kept a long fringe in the front. For Buddhists of these particular sects and degrees of initiation, their locked hair is not only a symbol of their vows but an embodiment of the particular powers they are sworn to carry. The Vikings would often braid these dreads together to form thick plaits, though they could pull them into tight buns or knots. We may never know for sure, but plenty of evidence suggests that both Viking men and women sported this popular ancient hairstyle. We see further evidence of hair being used as a social marker when we look at the haircuts of the lower classes. Doing so helped to keep hair out of the face while working or fighting. But it is definitely not a part of the Viking/Norse history or culture. (Also see Did Viking Helmets Really Have Horns? Roddy also has dreadlocks that have become his trademark. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. They are celebrated as bringers of wealth and only their mothers are allowed to touch their hair. The five myths are: Vikings were dirty and unkempt Vikings wore horned helmets Vikings looked like we do today Vikings' clothing style was admired throughout the world Vikings' appearance was marked by battle wounds MYTH 1: Vikings were dirty and unkempt Unwashed, rough warriors with froth hanging out of the corners of the mouth. If you have further questions, you might find the answer youre looking for below! With the Black Lives Matter movement continuing to gain momentum, people are beginning to look at their own internal prejudices as well as the systems which allow racism to continue. It can be possible that the spirituality origin of dreadlocks in Indian culture. Did Celtic dreadlocks influence Viking dreads? Afro hair was untidy and unprofessional, while dreadlocks were labelled as unclean. The reasons the Vikings wore dreadlocks isn't clear, but it was likely due to practical and cultural reasons. Even if braids were not a male Viking hairstyle, braids were occasionally worn by Norse women. In fact, the first known example of dreadlocks in history is from an ancient Egyptian statue from around 3,000 years ago. The reason for this is that it is difficult, and in many cases impossible, to measure the authenticity of the locks due to expert methods employed in the attachment of hair extensions/re-attachment of broken off dreadlocks. What is known about the Vikings is that they sometimes used lye or other substances to stain or bleach their hair to a lighter shade. Whether your hair is blonde or brunette, this style is handsome and low maintenance. Ancient Egypt is the true birthplace of dreadlocks. Contents show. There have been multiple cases of Black students being sent home from school for haircuts deemed as extreme or against uniform policy. Multiple Cornrows Viking Hairstyles. However, not all Vikings had dreadlocks, and hairstyle was often associated with social class. I started my page to provide a space for people of colour to celebrate who we were prior to colonisation and the cultural brainwashing that established euro-centric beauty as the standard. In Senegal, the Baye Fall, followers of the Mouride movement, a Sufi movement of Islam founded in 1887 AD by Shaykh Aamadu Bmba Mbkke, are famous for growing dreadlocks and wearing multi-colored gowns. [3] Source[4] Source[5] Source[6] Source[7] Source[8] Source[9] Source[10] Source[11] Source[12] Williams[13] Source[14] Source[15] Source. Were the Vikings more diverse than some modern depictions of them suggest? The fact is the Vikings were one of several ancient people groups to have worn dreadlocks, along with the ancient Gauls, Celts, Indians, and many more. Understanding how Vikings wore their hair is also an excellent way to understand more about Viking culture and practices! Dreadlocks have a long history, mainly because many cultures that lived generations before us adapted this 100% natural hairstyle. In fact, the ponytail was likely a popular hairstyle, as depictions of women with ponytails are frequently found on Viking picture stones and gold pieces. One source states that original Rastas called their locks zatavi (from the Hindi jata) as it appears the word dreadlocks was not coined until 1959, when a group of Rasta friends met in their yard. Second, they had time to groom their hair. For devotees, Shivas hair is of such importance that the sacred river Ganges is believed to flow from his matted locks. That is, historical evidence suggests that younger Viking women may have worn braids. Dreadlocks, also known as locs or dreads, are rope-like strands of hair formed by locking or braiding hair. This suggests that regular hygiene included cleaning and grooming hair. Next came the Vikings, proving dreads weren't always about peace and love, man. Virtually all hair will naturally mat and form dreadlocks if left alone for a period of time. Answered By: Morgan Cox Date: created: Jul 17 2022. Additionally, notable Vikings throughout the centuries mentioned hair in their epithets. Researchers believe that Vikings may have worn both braids and dreadlocks. If youd like to adopt an authentic Viking hairstyle, youll want to know whether these people sported dreadlocks. However, in North Scandinavia, in the area around Stockholm, blonde hair was dominant. In ancient India, the god Shiva is depicted with dreadlocks, while illustrations show the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun with braids in around 1300 BC. Dreadlocks have been discovered on mummies in Peru, dating back to sometime between A.D. 800, and Aztec priests dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries traditionally wore their hair in matted locks. When the Vikings pillaged resources from villages, they typically gathered people from those areas to take home as slave workers (alsocalled thralls). did participate in Viking activities, many also stayed at home to tend to farming, construction, and child-rearing duties. There are several reasons to believe this and one of them is the fact that men, in general, were required to wear a mustache in order to join the army. The Vikings existed in the 8th Century, and they came from the Scandinavia countries. [19] Evidently, dreadlocks are seen in multiple cultures across the world. You can even shave a border close to ears for more detail. For example, warriors of the Fula and Wolof people of West Africa and the Maasai and Kikuyu tribes of Kenya, are all known for locked hair. However, not all Vikings had dreadlocks, and hairstyle was often associated with social class. Some researchers speculate that coiled ponytails could have been a sign of social status for elite women. In reality, the Vikings took care with their personal grooming, bathing, and hairstyling. [40] Likewise, later in 2019, Assembly Bill 07797 became law in New York state; it "prohibits race discrimination based on natural hair or hairstyles".[41]. But Viking warriors likely developed dreads while spending long bouts of time away from home. First and foremost, they were practical. This article may contain affiliate links. In professional American football, the number of players with dreadlocks has increased ever since Al Harris and Ricky Williams first wore the style during the 1990s. Did Vikings have dreads? Did Vikings Have Dreads? There is a Roman reference, credited to Julius Caesar, in which the Celts are described as having hair like snakes. Researchers believe that Vikings may have worn both braids and dreadlocks. This was done either for status or to indicate that the individual had/was about to go into battle. Five out of seven trelleborgs excavated have been believed to be built under the . While the Vikings didn't keep written historical records, the people they encountered often did. Cornrows differ from the "braid," which is . [20], In Nigeria, dreadlocks are viewed in a negative light due to their stereotypical association with gangs and criminal activity; men with dreadlocks face profiling from Nigerian police. However, Vikings did braid their hair, and they were all about dreadlocks! [4] Frescoes discovered on the Aegean island of Thera (modern Santorini, Greece) depict individuals with long braided hair or long dreadlocks. [2], Vikings also practiced frequent bathing and would comb their hair at least once per day. In 2012, about 180 National Football League players wore dreadlocks. Not only was hair important in Viking culture, but clothes were, too. This cultural brainwashing, which is very much a British export, has even resulted in a case reported last month in which Jamaica's Supreme Court ruled that a school was justified in banning a child with dreadlocks for reasons of "hygiene". Roman writers described the appearance of the Vikings, including their hair. Moving over to their economic activities, the Vikings were agriculturalists and derived some of their food products from fishing and hunting. This may have been used as a way to intimidate or frighten their enemies, but it could also serve the purpose of pure decoration.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'theidlemen_com-leader-2','ezslot_18',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-theidlemen_com-leader-2-0'); There are several examples in Norwegian culture where a person with a braided beard is described as a particularly fearsome warrior. The men had long fringes and short hair on the back of the head. Fringes likely refer to bangs. Most Vikings had dreadlocks, while some preferred long braids. Hair is not just hair, it speaks to our personalities, our communities, and our histories. [10] Darker-haired Vikings would use a lye bleaching agent to stain their hair and beards a lighter, straw color. Beard styles were probably the same as those mentioned above and people probably would use whatever was practical to keep their faces warm in the cold climates or avoid catching a cold. If you buy a product we link to, we may earn a commission. Viking women were just as integral to Viking raids are their male counterparts. There is also evidence of Viking women wearing their hair in ponytails. [32] Shiva is often depicted with dreadlocks. [6], Louise Kmpe Henriksen, a historian at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, states that from picture sources, we know that the Vikings had well-groomed beards and hair. Viking dreadlocks are slightly different than today's ideas of dreads. Some even believe that the knotting or locking of hair keeps this power in the body, preventing it from escaping through the head. , from thin blonde strands to thick black heads of hair. Hair discrimination is as much of an issue for people of colour in this country. [17] The typical reference to Viking implies the Norsemen who raided the coasts of England, and these men would not have worn braids. Aspects of this image are true: Vikings did have long hair that was usually reddish or blond. This should include accountability for actions which disadvantage and disempower already marginalised groups. (The Historical Truth). In contemporary media, Viking hair is often shown as twisted into long braids or elaborate knots. Can Black People Have Red Hair? I felt like this new routine was the purest, most natural way to have dreadlocks, thinking of my Rastafarian ancestors who made locks their symbol of rebellion and acceptance of dread as a state of mind: an intentional statement of living outside of society voluntarily, choosing to wear . Still, theres a good chance that many of the earliest people (including Neanderthals) had dreadlocks. Rather, the Vikings built the trellborgs which were the ring-shaped forts. Men and women have worn their hair in rope-like strands for centuries, and people all around the world still wear them today. I cannot exclude the possibility of locked or matted hair being found in European history at some point in time. Did Vikings have dreads first? Although when children are born with naturally matted hair, they are referred to as Dada' and viewed as spiritual beings. He was drafted by the Vikings in the 2007 NFL Draft and played college football at South Carolina. [12][13], The style was worn by Ancient Christian Ascetics in the Middle East and Mediterranean, and the Dervishes of Islam, among others. I receive dozens of messages a day from people expressing their love for the page and thanking me for creating it. One of the strongest indicators of occasional shaving or baldness comesfrom Leo the Deacon(a Greek historian), who wrote that the prince of Kievan Rus shaved his head completely, except for a lock of hair that hung down on one side.. In conclusion, the Vikings would have likely worn dreadlocks for a combination of reasons. Generally, Vikings wore their hair in one of the following styles: When you keep your hair long and braided most days, theres a chance that it could naturally begin to form into dreadlocks. Via Vikings.fandom.com. Theres also the common-sense presumption that the cavemen likely were not paying close attention to their hair, and that matted hair was a style long before hair was intentionally styled at all. See Were the Vikings black? The fact is the Vikings were one of several ancient people groups to have worn dreadlocks, along with the ancient Gauls, Celts, Indians, and many more. This means that while there may not be a completely certain answer to the question of whether Viking dreadlocks were really a thing or not, there are some solid suggestions that they were and, surprisingly, perhaps even more than the over the top braids we often see Vikings wear on screen today. English women loved us Norwegians, we cleaned ourselves and washed our clothes often;) Who wore dreadlocks in ancient times? While the exact origins of dreadlocks may never be definitively proven, theres enough evidence in the historical and archeological record to determine that Vikings did not invent dreadlocks. While Northern Scandinavian Vikings tended to be naturally blonde, Danish Vikings were darker-haired and could be red-heads or brunettes. While modern pop culture depictions of Vikings would have you believe they were unkempt and rather rough around the edges in appearance, the evidence supports the use of combs and a preference for well-groomed beards and hair. Still, Viking women tended to wear complex plaits made of braids, while mens hairstyles were often more straightforward. Best Beard Styles Without Sideburns for men (2023) - mesomen.com, http://www.historyofyork.org.uk/themes/viking/viking-male-grooming, Complete Guide To Using Beeswax For Dreads. 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