The History of Wigs

In ancient Egypt, both males and females wore wigs made either from human hair, sheep's wool or vegetable fibers, depending upon their social status. There were a number of benefits for Egyptians from shaving their heads. First it was more comfortable in the hot Egyptian climate not to have hair. Secondly, a baldhead helped avoid the danger of an infestation of lice, which was a problem at that time. However, it appears that Egyptians preferred having "hair" which resulted in the creation of wigs that gave the appearance of hair. The new wigs also protected the Egyptians' baldheads from the brutal sun. Wigs became part of daily wear for the Egyptian people indicating a person's status as well as their role in a society or politics. Women's wigs were adorned with braids and gold, hair-rings and ivory ornaments making them more stylish than men's wigs. Ultimately, the more elaborate and involved the wig was, the higher the social rank. A wig is a head covering made from human hair, animal hair, or synthetic fiber that is worn for fashion or other reasons, including cultural tradition and religious observance. The word wig is short for periwig and first appeared in the English language around 1675.Some people wear wigs to disguise baldness; a wig may be used as a less intrusive and less expensive alternative to medical therapies for restoring hair. Wigs may also be used as an article of apparel, or to fulfill a religious obligation. Actors often wear costume wigs in order to portray characters.

Other ancient civilizations whose citizens wore wigs were the Greeks, Romans, Assyrians, and the Phoenicians. For the Romans, in particular, wigs were often made with hair from slaves. During the Roman Empire wealthy Roman women often wore elaborate hairpieces to greatly increase the volume and effect of the hairstyle. In contrast, the people of the