Brushes, Combs & Scissors

Dreadlocks, sometimes called simply dreads or locks (locs), are matted ropes of hair which will form by themselves if the hair is allowed to grow naturally without the use of brushes, combs, razors or scissors for a long period of time. The word itself comes from the Bible and the "dread" of God more...

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Dreadlocks are a universal phenomenon and through the ages, people of various cultures have worn dreadlocks. It can be said that what are known today as "dreadlocks" are one of the oldest and most universal hairstyles known.

History

The first known examples of dreadlocks date back to ancient dynastic Egypt, where Egyptian royalty and commoners wore dreadlocked hairstyles and wigs appeared on bas-reliefs, statuary and other artifacts. Mummified remains of ancient Egyptians with dreadlocks, as well as dreadlocked wigs, also have been recovered from archaeological sites.

Vedic scriptures provide the earliest known written evidence of dreadlocks. Their exact date of origin is still in dispute, ranging from to 2500 BCE to 1500 BCE. The dreadlocked Vedic deity Shiva and his followers were described in the Vedic scriptures as "jaTaa", meaning "wearing twisted locks of hair", probably derived from the Dravidian word "caTai", which means to twist or to wrap. The Vedas are the primary texts of Hinduism and had a vast influence on Buddhism, Jainism, and also influenced the Celtic religion, society and folklore . According to Roman accounts of the time, the Celts wore dreadlocks as well, describing them as having "hair like snakes".

Germanic tribes, the Vikings, the Greeks, the Pacific Ocean peoples, the Naga people and several ascetic groups within various major religions have at times worn their hair in dreadlocks. In addition to the Nazirites of Judaism and the Sadhus of Hinduism, there are the Dervishes of Islam and the Coptic Monks of Christianity, among others. The very earliest Christians also may have worn this hairstyle. Particularly noteworthy are descriptions of James the Just, "brother of Jesus" and first Bishop of Jerusalem, who wore them to his ankles.

Dreadlocks also have been part of Mexican culture. In a description of an Aztec ritual, Historian William Hickling Prescott referred to dreadlocked Priests of the Aztec civilization, a Mesoamerican people of central Mexico in the 14th century, 15th century and 16th century.

"On the summit he was received by six priests, whose long and matted locks flowed disorderly over their sable robes, covered with hieroglyphic scrolls of mystic import. They led him to the sacrificial stone, a huge block of jasper, with its upper surface somewhat convex." (William H. Prescott, History of the Conquest of Mexico)

Read more at Wikipedia.org