I love learning about women's hair from the ancient Hellenic period. My mother would laugh at this because I used to hate getting my hair done. I stil do, really, but I found a video that I need to try out something fierce!

Hair has long had an important role in society and religion. During the classical period female citizens wore their hair long except when they were in mourning during which they cut their hair short. Before the fifth century BC women's hair was allowed to fall over the shoulders and back, but it was often fastened by a headband or diadem, and the front section of the hair was restrained. After that, hair was often restrained.  Female citizens, especially, wore their hair long, and after their marriage--usually at a very early age--they wore their hair up in elaborate styles. Typically, only their immediate family and servants saw Hellenic women with their hair undone.

Janet Stephens' tutorial for recreating two ancient Hellenic hairstyles using period appropriate tools and techniques is thus super interesting to me. Her techniques are based on artifacts in the Walters Art Museum and the Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, Rome. Enjoy! And if you ever want to do this to my hair, feel free to come over!