Dreadlocks History Vikings
I understand that in Northern American context this is a bit different since there has been a history of black slavery and black resistance. T The typical reference to Viking implies the Norsemen who raided the coasts of England and these men would not have worn braids.
Indo-Aryans ancestors of Iranians Aryan castes of India Slavs and Germans among others depicted their gods ad their kings with dreadlike locks on both hair and beards.
Dreadlocks history vikings. Though modern portrayals of Vikings often depict Norsemen with braids coils and dreadlocks in their hair Vikings did not wear braids often. Years ago during the onset of the industrial revolution dreadlocks were primarily confined to India. There are several different accounts for the history of dreadlocks.
Dreadlocks dreads locks locs. Historians have uncovered Roman accounts stating that the Celts wore their hair like snakes and that several Germanic tribes and Vikings were known to wear dreadlocks. It is said that dreadlocks originated with these eastern holy men.
This historical figure is portrayed in the movies with a dreadlock-like braid during wartime in one coarse fishtail. Viking dreadlocks and Celtic elflocks In the Middle Ages the Vikings occupied northern Europe the region known today as Scandinavia. Historians and anthropologists have found evidence of the do in ancient Egypt Germanic tribes Vikings Pacific Islanders early Christians the Aborigines and the New Guineans as well as the Somali the Galla the Maasai the Ashanti and the Fulani tribes of Africa.
If you want the theme of Viking dreadlocks without actual dreadlocks you can take inspiration from the iconic Herald Finehair. That includes the Roman Empire Germanic tribes or the Vikings. Early Textiles Found in Scotland Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 86 1954 pp1-29.
Thoughts on Appropriating Culture. Some of the earliest depictions of dreadlocks date back as far as 1500 BCE in the Minoan Civilization one of Europes earliest civilizations centered in Crete now part of Greece. A History of the Vikings.
Dreadlocks have been worn by the monks of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church the Nazarites of Judiasm Qalandris Sufis the Sadhus of Hinduism and the Dervishes of Islam and many more. One account claims that dreadlocks originated in India unlike most who cite Egypt as their birthplace with the dreadlocked deity Shiva and his followers. Textile History 182 pp.
European history provides several examples of dreadlocked hairstyles. Frescoes discovered on the Aegean island of Thera modern Santorini Greece depict individuals with long braided hair or long dreadlocks. White People Shouldnt Wear Dreadlocks.
Buy this book today. The Vikings neighbors to the south were the Celts and being in close geographical proximity they influenced each other in different ways. The Germanic tribes and Vikings were also known to wear their hair in dreadlocks.
Especially since the history of dreadlocks is rich in several cultures. Slavery and Society in Medieval. I will go further and say that in 2020 if you are hearing people say that vikings had dreads then you are hearing racist tropes.
Even in Europe the celts and vikings and some other people have worn their hair that way. However nothing that describes viking hair mentions dreads. Left to its own devices hair will naturally knot together and form mats or dreadlocks.
This then is a summary and compilation of all the different accounts we have been able to locate. Upon seeing Dreadlocks most people think of Bob Marley reggae and Rastafarianism unaware that the roots of Dreadlocks go back much further to at least 2500 BCE with the Dreadlocked Vedic deity Shiva and his followers. The Roots of Dreadlocks The roots of dreadlocks can be trailed to the Rastafarians of Jamaica and further to Indian sages and yogis but they have never been more popular or widespread than they are today.
They grew their hair into locks as an. The Hindus believe that their Lord Shiva from 17000 BC invented the dreadlocks and the Ancient Egyptians adopted it from Lord Shiva. The Greeks from the 480 BC era claim their scriptures show men with dreadlocks.
Dreadlocks have a long history mainly because many cultures that lived generations before us adapted this 100 natural hairstyle. In ancient Egypt examples of Egyptians wearing locked hairstyles and. Another tradition places the origin of dreadlocks with the House of Youth Black Faith HYBF a group of radical young Rastas who formed in the late Forties.
The history of Vikings dreadlocks is varied and differs depending on who you ask. While the history itself is fascinating and worth a read in light of recent pop culture events we also think a quick refresher on all things locs is important. The Vikings had an oral tradition and the writings we do have were written by other cultures or written centuries later.
