“The origin of braids can be traced back 5000 years in African culture to 3500 BC—they were very popular among women.” Braids are not just a style; this craft is a form of art. “Braiding started in Africa with the Himba people of Namibia,” says Pace. “These people have been braiding their hair for centuries.
Where Did Braids Originate? Africa, considered the cradle of civilization, is also home to the most famous and intricate braids or plaits, but braids have been worn around the world.
Did Vikings wear braids first? While Vikings may or may not have worn braids, they were certainly not the first civilization to do so. Braids have a widespread number of origins and interpretations across the world.
During the Bronze Age and Iron Age many peoples in the Near East, Asia Minor, Caucasus, East Mediterranean and North Africa are depicted in art with braided or plaited hair and beards. Similarly, the practice is recorded in Europe, Africa, India, China, Japan, Australasia and Central Asia.
The History of Braids in Egypt:
Fun history lesson: Archaeologists discovered a woman buried in Egypt more than 3,000 years ago with an elaborate design of 70 weave extensions attached to her hair. “Many of the other skulls Bos analyzed also had hair extensions.
“The origin of braids can be traced back 5000 years in African culture to 3500 BC—they were very popular among women.”
Braiding and Afro hair
Evidence suggests that Afro hair braiding started with the Himba people in what is now modern-day Namibia. It's believed that across the African continent, braiding patterns were used to identify tribe, age, wealth, marital status and religion.
In ancient China, young women wore their hair down or in simple styles to show they were unmarried. Maidens traditionally kept their hair in braids until their fifteenth birthday, when they went through a coming-of-age ceremony call the ji-li (笄禮) or Hair Pinning Ceremony.
Other evidence from Chinese histories indicate that the Tuoba or Tabgach groups of the Xianbei wore braids, since they were called "braided" by the southern Chinese. However, their hairstyle is hidden in depictions due to a hood they wore.
The first people to wear dreads were probably cavemen. We researched the first evidence of the use of dreadlocks: The first piece of written evidence dates back to 1500BC; it is brought to us by the ancient holy Hindu texts called the “Vedas”.
The Ancient Celts
Celtic men and women wore their hair long, and the noble class had elaborate braids that were often decorated. For the working class, braids had a simple function: to keep their hair out of the way while they worked.
Some people believe that cornrows were popularized by the Vikings and used as part of their battle dress. In contrast, others think they may have been introduced later by European settlers who encountered Africans living in Scandinavia. However, there is no definitive evidence one way or another.
Cornrows originated in Africa and were predominantly worn by women.
This tradition of carefully intertwining tresses has been passed down through generations and become an integral part of Black and African cultures. Today, braids are used to celebrate and honor one's ancestral roots as well as express personality and style.
Egypt has a rich history of dreadlocks dating back to as far as 3100 BC. Ancient Egyptian sculptures, statues, and other archeological discoveries in the region over the years have provided evidence of dreadlocks' historical roots in ancient Egypt.
Despite its name, the origins of the French braid are widely disputed. Greeks and Africans are often credited as the first to use this styling technique. The earliest evidence is from the Tassili n'Ajjer mountain range in Algeria, where rock art from almost 6,000 years ago depicts women wearing this style of braid.
In ancient Greece for example, some of the earliest depictions of dreads date back to 3600 BC. Indeed, frescoes uncovered in Crete, birthplace of the Minoan civilization, and in Thera (modern-day Santorini) show individuals with long braided hairstyles.
“Cornrows” or tight braids close to the scalp are not just a traditional North African hairstyle. Native Americans, Greeks, Romans and Celtic (Irish) art have depicted people in cornrows as long as 1,000 years ago.
Cornrows dated far back to 3000 B.C., particularly in the Horn and West coasts of Africa. In the early 1500s, the style was used as a communication medium amongst various African societies that were later forced to migrate to the Americas as slaves, where their customs followed.
Greek girls and boys often wore a braid along their central part, which they would cut and dedicate to the goddess Artemis.
From the early years of the Roman Republic (509–27 b.c.e.), women began to coil their long hair into a crown on their head. They might braid the hair first and then wrap it into intricate designs. They also used a device called a calamistrum to curl their hair.
In India, too, braids have been around for centuries, and coil-like plaits have been found in figures from the Harappan civilization of South Asia, a Bronze Age society dating from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE.
The Vikings wore their dreadlocks in a variety of styles. While it may not have looked as put together as the dreads that people wear today, they kept it looking neat. They likely used combs to do this, which were later found by archeologists in Viking burial sites.
1) Braids were common for vikings
Many believe that dreads were a natural extensions of braids, and that some vikings would simply make dreadlocks to avoid having to spend so much time making braids and combing their hair.
Aside from the African and Greek possible origins, some also speculate that the women of the Song Dynasty in China might be the first to wear French braids. Out of the three cultures, North Africa's rock art is the earliest depiction.