Shaving
is an art. Men have come a long way when it comes to their
ability to effectively and efficiently remove hair from
their faces. Shaving has always been a concern for men
that cannot be properly appreciated without a short
history.
The
Ancients
For as
long as men have been growing hair on their faces, they
have been trying to find ways to remove it. Archaeologists
have found evidence of men using a variety of interesting
tools to remove their whiskers. They have used parts of
animals like clam shells and shark’s teeth to shave, as
well as sharpened rocks such as flints. It is speculated
that facial hair was seen as too much of a danger when
battling an enemy, and had to come off at all costs.
Egyptian tombs have held both copper and gold razors
undoubtedly used by pharaohs. Warriors have been found
buried with their razors and their weapons, both tools
being cultural signs of stature.
Not
every culture looked upon shaving as something to be
celebrated. In
Rome, shaving
and razors were seen as a sign of degeneracy until
foreigners infiltrated the city and made being clean
shaven the standard. Barber shops were popularized in
ancient
Rome, which
allowed men who were not wealthy enough to own slaves the
luxury of a clean shave given by a skilled professional.
Most Roman leaders including Julius Caesar and Alexander
the Great were clean shaven.
The
Middle Ages
Barber
shops in
Europe during them Middle
Ages were not the same as the shops we think of today.
Barbers of the day were also surgeons. The red and white
barber’s pole outside of the shop was used to symbolize
the blood that was associated with the surgeries, and the
bandages that would cover them up. Barbers would routinely
do minor surgical procedures such as pulling teeth and
letting blood along with hair removal. This practice ended
in the mid 1700’s, and surgeons began to (thankfully) hone
their specialized skills and were not allowed to shave or
barber any longer.
Modern Day
This
country was built by and fought for by clean shaven men on
both sides during the American Revolution. During the
Civil War, however, the fashion changed and side burns and
beards began to become popular. From the 1800’s through
the 1900’s it is easy to find pictures and descriptions of
many powerful men who wore facial hair, although beards
were not considered “common” during either of the World
Wars. Today, anything goes in the realm of facial hair,
but if you are a man who has no interest in growing a
beard and sometimes feel frustrated in your attempt to
secure the perfect shave, know that you are in good
historical company!
