The ever-evolving world of beauty births new trends every day. It’s impossible to keep up with all the hairstyle fads that have come and gone throughout time. But one thing’s for sure—braids have been a staple style in the history of hair for what seems like forever. No, but really: The history of braids dates back to 3500 BC. In other words, they go way, way back. It’s safe to say the style has maintained a historical legacy that’s here to stay. From classic cornrows and simple three-strand braids to Dutch braids and more, this symbolic style has been a sign of societal status, ethnicity, religion, and more.
With the Instagram era, YouTube tutorials, runways, and popular music festivals, braids have evolved. We tapped three top hairstylists to take us through the backstory of braids.
Meet the Expert
Larry Sims is a celebrity hairstylist and the brand ambassador for the international hair care company Schwarzkopf, whose clients include Gabrielle Union, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Lupita Nyong’o.
Sims traces the origins of braids back to African culture. “Braids have been impressionable throughout history,” says Sims. “The origin of braids can be traced back 5000 years in African culture to 3500 BC—they were very popular among women.”
“Braiding started in Africa with the Himba people of Namibia,” says Pace. “These people have been braiding their hair for centuries. In many African tribes, braided hairstyles were a unique way to identify each tribe. Braid patterns and hairstyles were an indication of a person’s tribe, age, marital status, wealth, power, and religion. Braiding was and is a social art.Because of the amount of time it can take, people often would take the time to socialize. It began with the elders braiding their children, then the children would watch and learn from them. Younger children would start practicing on each other and eventually learn the traditional styles. This tradition of bonding was carried on for generations and quickly made its way across the world. It was around the 1900s when braids became most popular around the world. Almost all women, children, and most men in some way had their hair braided.”
In relation to time periods, Pace credits Africa with cornrows in 3500 BC; Egypt with afro box braids in 3100 BC; Greece with the halo braid in the first century; Native Americans with pigtail braids in the fifth century; Europe with the crown braid from 1066 to 1485; China with the staircase braid from 1644 to 1912; the Caribbean with modern cornrows in the 1970s; and the Internet (of course) with braid tutorials becoming especially popular in 2005 when YouTube launched.
According to Sims, cornrows with beads were very popular in the 1970s, and box braids gained popularity in the 1990s. “In my opinion,braids will never be out of the picture. They’re always going to be fashionable because they’re practical and chic,” says Saviano.
Click Play to Learn How to Braid Cornrows with Nigella Miller
The Evolution of Braids
“Expressions and styles have changed, but braiding patterns have remained the same,” says Sims. “In today’s culture, braids are adorned, worn, and praised in many different ways. Men and women who wouldn’t have worn them previously now embrace them. Women are approaching the braiding style in different ways. From clean lines to braids that are organic and messy. Women are taking on a fresh approach to coolness."
Saviano echoes the same statement regarding today’s braided styles. “In today’s society, we see messier and freer styles of braidsthat don’t have to be tight or perfect. People accept braids to look less perfect, chic, and more relaxed,” says Saviano.
“Box braids transformed in the modern world’s sense of community,” Sims continues. “Braiding studios located in African American communities such as Harlem are the perfect example. Getting your hair braided in this salon environment builds unity and embraces a historical culture."
The Cultural Context of Braids
"Braids are not just a style; this craft is a form of art," says Pace. “Women and men of all ages are getting their hair braided on a day-to-day basis. Whether it be a day you just want your hair out of your face or a special event filled with elegance, the art of hair braiding has evolved beyond the original cultural ideas.”
“Amongst African Americans, braids are go-to styles for women with natural textures,” explains Sims. "This style is used for kinkier textures as a form of protective styling—not just for fashion. Wearing braids protect natural hair from heat damage and humidity.”
Fast forward from 3500 BCE to 3100 BCE, when the ancient Egyptians ruled. They were known for their fancy, intricate braids, which were an important part of cultural identity. Braids were about more than looking good: the ancient Egyptians believed that braiding hair could ward off evil spirits and bring good luck.
One of the earliest depictions of braided hairstyles hails from the 3,500 BC Saharan desert. Ancient African cave paintings depicted images of women with intricate braids weaved close to their scalp, or, as we know them now, cornrows.
The oldest evidence for the existence of braids is the Venus of Willendorf. Discovered in early 20th century Austria, the 11cm tall Palaeolithic female figurine is around 25,000 to 30,000 years old. It is speculated that she represents a fertility goddess. What is clear is that her head is covered with rows of plaits.
Studies of the instructions about women and wives in 1 Timothy and 1 Peter have acknowledged that the exhortations not to braid hair, wear gold, pearls or expensive clothes are consistent with the general Graeco-Roman male emphasis upon female modesty and criticism of female adornment.
In some regions, a braid was a means of communication. At a glance, one individual could distinguish a wealth of information about another, whether they were married, mourning, or of age for courtship, simply by observing their hairstyle. Braids were a means of social stratification.
In Native American tradition, hair is a signifier of one's spiritual practice. Combing represents the alignment of thought; braiding is the Oneness of thought, and tieing is the securing of thought. Flowing strands of hair are considered individually weak, but when joined in braids they demonstrate strength in unity.
“Braids have been impressionable throughout history,” says Sims. “The origin of braids can be traced back 5000 years in African culture to 3500 BC—they were very popular among women.” “Braiding started in Africa with the Himba people of Namibia,” says Pace. “These people have been braiding their hair for centuries.
As we have seen from the (very limited) written accounts and the few period artifacts we have to pull from, Viking hair styles varied from short hair to long braided hair, and sometimes included shaved on the side and possibly even bangs over their eyes.
Historically, box braids have roots in African culture and hold significant meaning relating to heritage and identity. They continue to be a powerful expression of personal and cultural style.
In many African societies, hair braiding was a communal practice, with family members and community members participating in the process. This practice fostered social bonds and served as a way to pass down cultural traditions from one generation to another.
[14] Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? [15] But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
Delilah got Samson to sleep, lying in her lap. Then she called in a man to shave off the seven braids of Samson's hair. In this way she began to make him weak, and his strength left him.
Tattoos have been around for millennia. People got them at least five thousand years ago. Today they're common everywhere from Maori communities in New Zealand to office parks in Ohio. But in the ancient Middle East, the writers of the Hebrew Bible forbade tattooing.
👉🏾When the Transatlantic Slave Trade started, captured Africans braided seeds and grains into their hair to bring their foods with them as a way of survival. Rice, okra, peanuts, benne, watermelon are some examples of seeds and grains that were hidden and brought from their native homeland.
Braids are thought to have originated in Africa, with many cultures adopting the style and making it their own. One of the earliest examples of braids can be seen on the Lady of Aguilafuente statue dating back to around 4,500 BC.
Cornrows soon became used as a way for slaves to secretly communicate with one another. Slaves would style their Cornrows, in different patterns as a means of communicating in code written messages.
One unique feature about the French braid is that an individual can braid their own hair without the help of others. (The difficulty of braiding can depend on the type of hair the individual has, however, as some styles of hair are easier to braid than others.)
This form of hair adornment can be traced back to ancient Egypt where the Egyptians commonly wore beads and rings made from alabaster, clay, jasper, or metal. These differed depending on what materials were available locally and the status of the person wearing the beads.
The practice of wearing braids and dreadlocks in Africa dates back to 3,000 BC in the Sahara Desert. It has been commonly thought that other cultures influenced the dreadlock tradition in Africa. The Kikuyu and Somali wear braided and locked hairstyles.
Depictions of women with what appear to be cornrows have been found in Stone Age paintings in the Tassili Plateau of the Sahara, and have been dated as far back as 3000 B.C. A similar style is also seen in depictions of the ancient Cush*tic people of the Horn of Africa, who appear to be wearing this style of braids as ...
Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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