Byzantine Hairstyles Bibliography.
by Patrikia Maria Agrissa Sgourina, OL Citation: Blowney, Linda.
"Byzantine Hairstyles Bibliography." 15 October 2004. Online posting.
SCAByzantine Discussion Group. 14 October 2004. <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCAbyzantine/?yguid=189998407>
or <SCAbyzantine-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>.
A thorough bibliography of printed texts.
"Hair" article from Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium page 899.
Excerpt:
"The predominate hair fashion for women throughout the centuries was parted in the center and held in place with a comb or band. Combs made of bone are often found in archaeological excavations. Outside of the house women were expected to cover their heads with veils. Both men and women were admonished to not wear wigs or dye their hair."
"Hair Ornament" article from Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium page 899-900.
Excerpt:
"Justinian's Digest classes as jewelry headgear such as, 'headdresses, turbans and half-turbans, a head covering, a pearl hairpin that women are accustomed to posses, saffron-colored [hair] nets' Three main types are depicted in Byzantine Art
"A Jeweled band that is worn on the forehead at the hairline. Only the part from ear to ear can be seen; this part presumably continued around the back of the head, under the hair, as a band of fabric
A circlet, often jeweled, worn around a chignon on the top of the head.
An ornamental mesh or net, worn over the entire head, reaching to the forehead."
Stefan's Florilegium hair-msg. Included in the messages are a few that describe how to make false braid extensions. If I am unable to secure reasonable hair extensions, I may adapt one of the techniques described.
Western Roman Women's Hairstyles. I have yet thoroughly read this and compare it to other sources. It is, however, from the Roman rather than Byzantine era.
Hairstyles and headdresses of Empresses, Princesses, and ladies of the
aristocracy in Byzantium
Byzantine Women and Their World.
Passages describe hairstyles and headdress depicted on works of art as well
as personal toiletry items of women.
Aristocratic and Elite Women
"Many
elite women delighted in luxurious display wearing 'long dresses bright with
purple and rusting with gold,' according to the fifth-century bishop Paulinus of
Nola who decried the practice. They also wore their hair uncovered and
piled high, 'structured and castellated with layers of ropes and interwoven
locks.' Thus, while the idealized images of modesty and chastity suggested
dignity, legitimacy, and the goodness of women rulers, it is clear that their
high status was also expressed through expensive attire and the freedom to wear
and display it." (pg 70)
Portrait Head, Perhaps of Fausta or Helena dated to the 1st quarter of the 4th century [catalog number 24. No online photographs have been located]
"The hair is drawn back and interwoven with false locks in a net rendered through crosshatching; the luxury of artificial hair indicates her wealth and privilege. The hairpiece is folded over the top of the head to from a broad roll--the scheitelzopf style worn by empresses of the late third and early fourth centuries." (pg 76) There is a semi circle of curls framing her face.
Helena wears this hairstyle on coins that
commemorate her elevation to principle empress in 324. He is most
often depicted with a hair band or diadem.
Portrait Head of a Young Woman dated after 320 CE [catalog number 25. No online photographs have been located]
"The tightly wrapped tower hairstyle is retrospective.
Popularized by the Roman empress Faustina the Elder (ruled 138-41) it was
revived by the women of Constantine's family, with variations appearing in a
number of life-sized portrait heads and other sculptures of the period (cat. 28)
The hair is parted in the middle, flowing back in waves partially covering the
ears. The small, high, oval nest is built up from thick plaits secured in
the back by a vertical braid. Two twisted strands meet behind the head to
stabilize the base of the nest." (pg 78)
Statuette of an Imperial Woman dated to the 4th century [catalog number 28 No online photographs have been located]
"The hair is parted in the
center, flowing in waves to the ears, with three or four plaits wrapped around
the head to form a nest. The broad braid next is characteristic of later
versions of the style in the fourth century." (pg 86) She wears, "a
jeweled diadem, reserved for women of the imperial family granted the
highest female rank, augusta. A similar diadem, with round pearls or gems
set in squares was introduced on coinage celebrating Helena's elevate to
augusta in 324." (pg 86) She is wearing a veil over her
dressed hair appearing to be attached mid crown and flowing down the back of her
head.
Portrait Head in the Type of Flacilla dated to circa 380-390 [catalog number 26]
She wears a "turbanlike 'round plait' hairstyle [with] a wide fringe of ribbed, grooved waves framing the face, almost covering the ears, and is surmounted by a high, thick band composed of two twisted strands of equal size wrapped around the top of the head. A flat, vertical braid runs from the nape of the neck over the top of the head. The hairstyle is worn by numerous imperial women of the fourth and fifth centuries [and is seen in] sculptures and coins as well as in steelyard weights." (pg 81)
"The rigid, complex coronet of hair, requiring the
substantial labor of a hairdresser, suggests the nobility and high status of the
subject, as well as the formal context for which her portrait was intended.
The hairstyle of this head was popular with women of high senatorial
aristocracy, was perceived as a signifier of luxury and seduction." (pg 83)
Head of a Female Figure, Possibly an Empress dated to circa 375-400 [catalog number 27]
The high hairstyle has heavy twists of hair the fall down over the ears and vertically on the back of the head. A semicircle of curls frames the face. A band with stylized back bow shows that the hair is held by a hair band. She is wearing a "highly unusual headdress" (pg 85) [note: this portrait shows evidence of re-cutting to possibly update the original figure into a more current style]
Hairstyles and headdresses of Empresses, Princesses, and ladies of the aristocracy in Byzantium
Emmanuel, Melita; "Hairstyles and headdresses of Empresses, Princesses, and ladies of the aristocracy in Byzantium"; Deltiontes Christianikes Archaiologikes Etairerias, Vol. 17, 1993-94; pp. 113-116
Some notes of interest:
Article attempts to clarify and classify hairstyles and headdresses of the aristocracy. Written sources from the times are lacking for the ladies of the court, beyond the empress. The only art sources in which the subject's head is uncovered is from the 4th and 5th centuries.
Three types of hairstyles appear in the 4th century.
"the hair is parted in the middle and is gathered at the nape of the neck--sometimes divided into two plaits--and is carried up to the crown of the head. (pg 113 and figs 1 and 2) This hair style can be found into the 6th century.
"the 'turban-like' hairdo [in which] the hair is parted in the middle and plaited into two heavy braids which encircle the head like a crown. This coiffure gives a special volume to the head and resembles a diadem. Helena often adorned her hair with pearls." (pg 113 and fig 13 a)
Variation: "the hair over the forehead is cut short and forms a thickish roll sectioned as if arranged in very stiff narrow waves." This style is found into the 6th century as well. (pg 114 and fig. 3)
"the hair is gathered behind the head and forms a simple small bun" (pg 114 and fig 13 b)
Diadems and crowns for the Empress
"Empresses diadems were originally wreaths, decorated with precious stones, which were placed on the head and sometimes covered the hair." (pg 114) After the 5th century this changes and a style of hear with the thickish roll is seen with the hair entirely covered with, "a fine scarf of a thin, silk-like material; a bonnet made of a stiffer material is fixed on the scarf and on the hair with pins. The bonnet is shaped in such a way as to adapt itself to the two plaits. The crown is placed on it is no longer a wreath, but consists of two parts: a round one, and another consisting of one or two transversal bands, placed crosswise on the round part of the diadem." In use until the end of the 12th century. (pg 114)
Variations: whether or not a central cross is used or the number of triangular projections decorate the top part.
"Sometimes the hair under the crown is covered with a scarf or net...the crowns are often combined with precious fabrics which either hand behind or cover the head under the crown and hang on either side of the face, reaching the shoulders." (pg 117)
Princesses, court ladies and aristocratic ladies
"Until around the 6th century, one can observe two ways in which the ladies of the aristocracy covered their heads:
they might either use a veil under which the sometimes wore a mitella, in accordance with Roman custom, or
a fine scarf, most probably of silk which covered all the hair like a bonnet." (pg 117) One example of a piece of art shows a young lady using a scarf clip to hold it upon her head.
"From around the 10th century on, the princesses--when they do not imitate the empress, wearing the typical crown--must have appeared with a typical headdress: that is, a small round hat reminiscent of the camelaukion, with a small veil, whose ends sometime fall on either side of the face." This style is typical from the 13th century on. (pg 118 and Fig. 13 f and 5)
11th and 12th centuries
"we find a type of headdress in the shape of a trapezoid." (pg 118 fig 6)
Fan-shaped headdresses are also worn by dancing Hebrew women and Byzantine court ladies. Theirs also has gold stripes.
During the 12th century along with the trapezoidal hat appears another that is reminiscent in form to the camelaukion. (pg 119 fig 13 g and fig. 7)
False hair
Portrait of Anna Radini (fig 8) from the end of 12th century shows, "a hat following the fashion of the 11th century in the lower part and that of the 12th century in the upper part. False, dyed blonde hair made, perhaps, of lambs wool, hangs from the hat and frames the face." (pg 119) This headdress marks the beginning of a new era.
Byzantine Women and Their World.
Passages describe hairstyles and headdress depicted on works of art as well
as personal toiletry items of women.
Description of women in the scene of the
Presentation of the
Virgin in the Temple, a fresco circa 1290 [also dated to the 14th century
in another source] by Manuel Panselinos in the Protation Monestery on Mount
Athous, Greece. Several women are depicted in what the author considers
typical of the period (pg 15-17) [Apparently several versions of this
fresco exist.
This version is not the same as in the book, but will serve as a reasonable
illustration. This
cropped
photo is part of the piece in the book, but includes most of the women
referred to.]
Click here for a description of the clothing.
Four have their hair held back with white hair bands and no further head covering.
One has her hair held back with a white hair band and a head covering/mantle.
"Three have their heads covered in white scarves decorated with yellow stripes, white fringed and embroidery, the kind of head cover we have to imagine that women wore outside the home." (pg 16) [I am having trouble seeing the embroidery, but I will trust it is there.]
One of the three with headscarves is clearly wearing a turban or other type of wrap with a scarf trailing from beneath it.
The author feels that these women represent ordinary young women and are not individual portraits.
Note: An interesting reframing on some of the interpretations by myself and the author appears in a message on SCAbyzantine. Do not consider the above as definitive, but the interpretations of three different individuals at three different places on the research journey.
Ordinary Women Emmanuel, Melita; "Some Notes on the External Appearance of Ordinary Women in Byzantium: Hairsyles, Headdresses: Texts and Iconography"; Byzantinoslavica Revue Internationals Des Estudes Byzantines, Vol. LVI, (1995)3 pp. 769-778.
Very good article. Notes yet to be taken.
Jenkins, Ian and Williams, Dyfri; "Sprang Hair Nets: Their Manufacture and Use in Ancient Greece"; American Journal of Archeology 89 (1985); pp. 411-418.
This article is interesting but does not fit my current research needs. Topics covered include: sprang weaving frames, evidence in Grecian art of hairnet and mention of a sole surviving hairnet.
Roman Era Gold Wire Hairnet from the VRoma Project. A bit early, but of great interest to me. Perhaps additional examples and/or references will be turned up for the Middle Byzantine period.
Sprang Hairnets Bibliography by Patrikia Maria Agrissa Sgourina, OL Citation: Blowney, Linda. "Byzantine Hairstyles Bibliography." <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCAbyzantine/files/> or <SCAbyzantine-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>. Last updated 4/5/2004
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