Wigs were an integral part of ancient Egyptian culture, reflecting both practical needs and social structures. They were not just about beauty or vanity but also about status, hygiene, and religious significance. Wigs in ancient Egypt have a fascinating history and served multiple purposes. While direct evidence of head shaving for lice control before 1550 BC is lacking, it’s reasonable to infer that similar motivations could have existed as early as 3400 BC. The use of wigs to protect shaved heads from the sun suggests that head shaving was already a common practice, possibly for hygiene reasons, including lice control. While we can’t definitively prove that head shaving for lice control dates back to 3400 BC, the use of wigs during that time can be seen as indirect evidence supporting this theory. The motivations for head shaving likely included both practical and hygienic reasons, similar to those documented in later periods.

First Evidence of Wigs in Ancient Egypt

The earliest known evidence of wigs in ancient Egypt dates back to around 3400 BC. This evidence includes hair extensions found in a female burial at Hierakonpolis ^[16].

Reasons for Wearing Wigs

Wigs were an integral part of ancient Egyptian culture, reflecting both practical needs and social structures. Their use and significance evolved over time, but they remained an essential aspect of daily life for many Egyptians.

Who Wore Wigs?

Age and Gender

How Did Egyptian Wigs Deter Lice?

Egyptian wigs helped deter lice by providing a barrier between the scalp and the environment. By shaving their heads and wearing wigs, Egyptians reduced the chances of lice infestation, as lice had fewer places to hide and lay eggs ^[6].

Earliest Evidence of Head Shaving for Lice

The earliest documented evidence of head shaving for lice dates back to around 1550 BC, as mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus ^[5]. There is no concrete evidence that head shaving for lice dates back to 3400 BC. However, the practice of shaving heads for hygiene and comfort in the hot climate might have been prevalent even earlier ^[6].

Materials for Wigs for the Lower Classes

While the elite wore wigs made of human hair, the lower classes used more accessible materials such as: Linen, Sheep’s wool, Animal hair, and Palm fibers. These materials were often stiffened with beeswax to create the desired shape and texture ^[7][9].

Why Baldness Was Looked Down Upon

In ancient Egypt, smooth and clean bodies were indeed signs of youth and vigor, yet baldness was often looked down upon because hair was considered a symbol of youth, vitality, and social status. A full head of hair was associated with beauty and health, and being bald could be seen as a sign of aging or illness ^[11]. Additionally, appearing well-groomed was important in Egyptian society, and baldness was sometimes viewed as unkempt ^[10].

As a result, a bald head was often covered by a wig if possible. Wigs were not only a fashion statement but also a practical solution to protect the scalp from the sun and maintain hygiene ^[8]. Baldness was generally looked down upon, and various remedies were used to promote hair growth.

Demand for Hair Growth Products

Despite the emphasis on removing body hair for cleanliness and aesthetics, and this early use of wigs to cover the baldness caused by head shaving for lice prevention, there was also a significant demand for hair remedies to combat baldness, including chopped lettuce, ground-up hedgehog spines, and other concoctions ^[12]. These remedies reflect the cultural importance placed on hair and the lengths to which people would go to maintain it. This demand can be attributed to several factors:

Video Credit: Propaganda War, The Fascinating History of Wigs in Ancient Egypt!

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Historically, head shaving for lice prevention and control dates back to ancient Egypt around 1550 B.C. Priests were encouraged to shave their heads to prevent lice from having a place to live ^[1]. Similarly, by 450 B.C., Egyptians recommended shaving the entire body to eradicate lice ^[2]. This method was effective because lice need hair to attach their eggs (nits) and to move around. Without hair, lice have a much harder time surviving and reproducing. Besides the obvious benefit of lice control, both men and women in ancient Egypt valued smooth, hairless bodies as a sign of youth and vigor; hair removal was seen as a sign of cleanliness and social status.

Historical Timeline of Societies Using Head Shaving for Lice Prevention

Classes of People Who Practiced Head and Body Shaving

Earliest Methods of Shaving Heads and Bodies

Evolution of Shaving Methods

Effectiveness of Shaving for Lice Control

Shaving the head or cutting hair very short can be effective in controlling lice infestations because it removes the environment where lice thrive ^[4]. However, it is not always necessary and can have psychological impacts, especially on children ^[11]. Modern treatments often involve the use of medicated shampoos and fine-toothed combs ^[10].

The Role of Barbers in Ancient Egypt

Head and body lice prevention played a significant role in the origin and evolution of barbering in ancient Egypt. In ancient Egypt, barbers held a highly esteemed position in society. Their role was multifaceted and extended beyond just cutting hair. Here are some key aspects of their responsibilities and significance:

Roles and Responsibilities

Head Lice Prevention

Body Lice Prevention, Body Shaving, Body Waxing

Evolution of Barbering

Cultural Significance

Barbers in ancient Egypt were more than just groomers; they were integral to the social and cultural fabric of their time. Their skills and services were highly valued, and they played a significant role in the daily lives and rituals of the ancient Egyptians. The prevention of head and body lice was a key factor in the development of barbering practices in ancient Egypt. Barbers played a crucial role in maintaining hygiene and cleanliness, especially for priests and high-ranking officials.

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What we know about the oldest historical treatment of head lice is the result of worldwide archaeology efforts. The oldest known sentence written in the first alphabet was discovered on an ancient ivory comb, dated to about 3,700 years ago. The comb was unearthed in 2016 from an Israeli archaeological site called Tel Lachish. However, the minuscule one- to three-millimeter letters were overlooked until 2021, when research associate Madeleine Mumcuoglu at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem noticed the sentence while zooming in on a photo of the comb ^[2][4].

The sentence is inscribed in the language of the Canaanites, a group that lived between approximately 3500 and 1150 B.C.E. in what’s now Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine. The inscription reads: “May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard.”. This discovery marks the first complete written sentence in the Canaanite language ^[2][4].

The Canaanite alphabet was invented later, likely in or near Egypt. Experts debate the exact time when the alphabet originated, though most researchers put it around 3,800 years ago. This alphabet was used for hundreds of years and eventually became the foundation for ancient Greek and Latin writing systems. The Canaanite script (aka the Phoenician alphabet) is the earliest known example of an alphabet, one that would be adapted and adopted by cultures all over the globe. Most modern alphabets now stem from these original, ancient letters, including Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and Russian ^[2].

Scientic discovery opens the door to new findings in the evolution of humans and head lice, as well as ancient lice treatments.

It would have been impossible to accurately identify the age of this ivory lice comb without important scientific discoveries and their application to archaeology. These include the use of carbon dating in archaeological work that began in the mid-20th century that resulted in a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for Willard Libby in 1960. Since then, radiocarbon dating has become an invaluable tool for archaeologists, paleontologists, and others looking for reliable dates for organic matter ^[16].

The combination of carbon dating with DNA information to put a timeline of archaeological finds is a more recent development. Currently, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze DNA and accurately date up to ten-thousand-year-old human remains has been reported and opens exciting new opportunities for discovery ^[15].

Deciphering the Miniscule Ancient Text About Head Lice on the Lachish Lice Comb

According to common theory, Canaanites or Hyksos who spoke a Canaanite language repurposed Egyptian hieroglyphs to construct a different script [6]. Therefore, understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs can also aid in deciphering the Canaanite script.

However, the exact process of how the inscription on the comb was deciphered is not detailed in the sources I found. It’s likely that the researchers used a combination of these methods and their knowledge of Semitic languages to interpret the inscription. Deciphering ancient scripts is a field of ongoing research, and new discoveries can lead to revisions and refinements in our understanding of these ancient languages ^{[6][7][8][9][10]}.

How did they discover this ancient lice comb in the first place?

The ancient ivory comb was discovered during an archaeological excavation at Tel Lachish, a site in southern Israel. The excavation took place in 2016 and was led by a team from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Southern Adventist University.

Interestingly, the inscription on the comb was not noticed immediately. It was only in 2021, when the comb was sent to a lab to search for traces of lice, that someone noticed faint symbols etched on the side. Upon closer inspection, these symbols were recognized as a sentence in the Canaanite language.

The beard and head lice comb itself was likely an imported luxury object, as there were no elephants in Canaan, and therefore no ivory. This suggests that it may have belonged to a wealthy individual. In fact, microscopic evidence of head lice was even found on the comb, indicating that it was used for its intended purpose.

This discovery provides valuable insights into the lives of the Canaanites, their language, and their struggles with common human issues like lice ^{[11][12][13][14]}.

Significant archaeological findings at Lachish include:

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The evolution of head lice is closely tied to human evolution. Around 13 million years ago, specific species of lice began to evolve to affect only humans. About 42,000 to 72,000 years ago, human lice separated into head and body lice *. This separation is believed to coincide with the time when humans began wearing clothing [1]. While head lice remained on the scalp, body lice mutated into parasites with claws that can grab onto the smoother fibers of clothing rather than needle-thin hair shafts [1]. * Special note about human body lice: Pubic lice are another form of human body lice. We will include them in discussing all types of human lice, but not in this article as they are believed to have originated from gorilla lice more than 3 million years ago acquired through direct contact with gorillas, and have always just affected the human pubic area. They are not part of the evolution of the types of lice living only on human heads and in their clothing.

Head lice are obligate parasites, meaning they cannot survive without a human host [2]. They are specifically adapted to live on human hosts and cannot be contracted from pets or other animals [2][3]. This is because head lice have evolved alongside humans for millions of years [4][5][7].

The genetic diversity of lice also mirrors human migration patterns. For instance, a genetic analysis of lice from around the world revealed a clear split between lice originating from Asia and those from Europe [4][5][6]. This suggests that lice traveled with humans to the Americas at least twice — once during the first wave of human migration across the Bering Strait, and again during European colonization [4][5].

This is the reason why head lice are only found in humans and not in pets is due to their long co-evolutionary history with humans, which has resulted in them being specifically adapted to live on human hosts. This co-evolution has also led to the genetic diversity of lice mirroring human migration and evolution.

Head Lice Lack of Mobility Links them to Humans as Evolutionary Partners

Head lice cannot fly or jump [9][10]. Head lice spread by crawling from person to person during close contact [9]. Their short, stumpy legs render them incapable of jumping, or even walking efficiently on flat surfaces [10]. So, the transmission of head lice primarily occurs through direct head-to-head contact with an infested individual. They can also spread by sharing personal items like combs, brushes, or towels with the infested person [8]. This limitation in their mobility has tied them closely to their human hosts, contributing to a shared co-evolution. When humans move, they carry these ectoparasites with them. This close relationship has led to the evolution of lice in tandem with humans and our hominid relatives over millennia [20].

Evidence of this co-evolution can be found in the genetic analysis of lice. Studies have shown that the genes of head lice mirror waves of human migration. For instance, a clear genetic split has been observed between lice originating from Asia and those from Europe. In the Americas, hybrids of Asian and European lice populate North and South America, while lice that first evolved in Asia dominate in Central America. These patterns reflect the influence of human migrations on the evolution of lice [20].

Other Global Archaeological Head Lice Evidence

The use of fine-tooth combs to remove head lice and nits has a long history, likely much earlier in other parts of the world than in the Americas. For example, an ancient comb dating back some 3,700 years ago was found in Israel bearing an inscription encouraging people to comb their hair and beards to rid themselves of lice [21]. The researchers found microscopic evidence of head lice on the comb, suggesting that combs were used as a tool to remove lice from hair, indicating a development path for these combs. [21] Another example includes the discovery of lice and eggs in three combs, one of which was recovered from archaeological excavations in the Hatzeva area of the Judean desert, and two of which were found in Moa, in the Arava region, close to the Dead Sea [22]. These findings further demonstrate the long-standing relationship between humans and lice, and the early measures humans have taken to control lice infestations.

Another ancient comb with lice evidence was discovered in Israel and dates back around 3,700 years. It bears an inscription in the Canaanite language, which is likely the oldest known full sentence in Canaanite alphabetical script. The inscription reads: “May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard” [24]. This suggests that the comb was used to remove lice from hair. Microscopic evidence of head lice was also found on the comb [25]. The comb was first excavated in 2016 at Tel Lachish, an archaeological site in southern Israel [24].

Development of Head Lice Treatments

Historically, humans have used a variety of methods to treat head lice infestations. The first lice treatment took place around 1550 B.C. in Egypt, where ancient priests were encouraged to shave their heads to not give the lice a place to live. In the 1600s, humans started trying different concoctions to rid themselves of lice, including mixtures of tomato juice, vinegar, cheese whey, sneezing powder, ginger, and melted butter. In the 1700s, people started wearing powdered wigs (perukes) to avoid lice [26]. The wigs were boiled to treat lice infestations. Treatments varied from a concoction from vinegar and lard to leaving the responsibility to the women to nit pick themselves and their families and friends [26][27].

Treatments for head lice have evolved significantly over the centuries (and Fort Crawford). The use of sulfur and lard, as well as mercuric oxide powder, are historical methods that are no longer in use today due to their potential harmful effects [12][13]. Mercuric oxide powder, also known as “red precipitate,” was also used in the past to treat various ailments, including lice infestations [15]. Mercury compounds were common in the early 19th century for various applications, including medical treatments [17]. However, the toxic properties of mercury were not fully understood at the time, resulting in significant health risks for those who were exposed to it [16][19]. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the harmful effects of mercury were becoming more widely recognized, leading to a decline in its use in medical treatments [18].

Today, the use of mercury in medical treatments is highly regulated due to its toxicity, and it is no longer used in treatments for head lice [13][14]. Modern treatments for head lice are much safer and more effective, focusing on the use of specialized combs and medicated shampoos, creams, or lotion [12][14].

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Life at a frontier fort in the early 19th century was far from easy. In 1816, when the U.S. Army established a new permanent fort at Prairie du Chien, it stood on an island in the Mississippi River, about two miles north of where it joined with the Wisconsin River. Fort Crawford faced challenges—marshy land, basic sanitation facilities, and limited understanding of disease causes. Soldiers dealt with seasonal threats like mosquito-borne malaria and periodic outbreaks of dysentery, cholera, and typhus [1]. But there was another nuisance they endured, one brought to the Americas long before by Asian migration from the east 25,000 years before, and by European settlers and colonizers between the 10th and 15th centuries. This nuisance bore the different genetics of each migration but came to share the same name: head lice [[11][13][18][19][20].

Head Lice on the early 19th Century American Prairie

Fort Shelby, located in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, was built in 1814 (toward the end of the War of 1812) by American troops commanded by William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame) [11].

During the Siege of Prairie du Chien in July, the fort was captured by the British and their Native American allies who renamed it Fort McKay [15]. The fort was briefly in British hands until December 1814, when both sides agreed to the restoration of captured territory and the retreating British burned it prior to retreating in 1815.

As was common in remote frontier areas of America with forts built mostly of wood that were abandoned or destroyed by war or the elements, they were often rebuilt and reinhabited to meet evolving national goals. The new version of the fort, built directly on the site of the old one or in many cases nearby, would often be renamed. Thus, when the Army built a new fort on the ruins of an of Fort Shelby, it was renamed as Fort Crawford.

After the war, the U.S. government realized that Wisconsin’s northwestern frontier needed protection. As a result, a series of military outposts was established in the following decades that stretched from Canada to the Gulf Coast. Three forts were constructed in Wisconsin: Fort Howard at Green Bay, Fort Winnebago at Portage, and Fort Crawford at Prairie du Chien [15]. It is at Fort Crawford that the bone lice comb was discovered that is central to this story.

Beyond its military functions, Fort Crawford served as a supply depot and a rendezvous point for traders along the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers. It also acted as a neutral ground for meetings between western Indian tribes and eastern governments. After floods in the 1820s damaged the wooden fort, the Army abandoned it and constructed a second Fort Crawford from cut stone nearby [1].

Previously routine companions of people of all economic levels, pesticides and improvements in daily hygiene made lice outbreak infestations relatively rare in modernized countries by the mid-twentieth century. Soldiers and visitors to Fort Crawford, however, dealt with head lice as a normal part of life, simply accepting periodic infestation in much the same way as they would have to deal with an occasional bout of influenza or a cold [1].

Head lice have likely plagued humans for as long as we’ve existed. They couldn’t survive on animals, preferring to stay in human hair, feed from the scalp, and attach their eggs (nits) to hair strands [24] [25] [26] [27] [29]. Since lice can’t jump or fly, close physical contact facilitated their movement from one host to another—often hitching a ride on hats, bedding, or personal items stored together. [30][33][34].

Military barracks like those at Fort Crawford, with their close quarters, provided ample opportunities for lice transmission. In the early 19th century, bathing was infrequent, and people often wore the same clothes for days. Soldiers stationed on the frontier, lacking domestic training, faced extended periods between cleanings. These conditions made repeated lice infestations at Fort Crawford quite likely. [1]

Unfortunately, doctors and scientists of the time knew little about lice’s life cycle or source. Not until 1864 did Louis Pasteur definitively document it [5] . To manage outbreaks, people used fine-tooth combs [42] like the one found at Fort Crawford to remove adult lice and nits from their hair.

Other treatments for head lice have evolved significantly over the centuries (and Fort Crawford). The use of sulfur and lard, as well as mercuric oxide powder, are historical methods that are no longer in use today due to their potential harmful effects [35][36]. Mercuric oxide powder, also known as “red precipitate,” was also used in the past to treat various ailments, including lice infestations [38]. Mercury compounds were common in the early 19th century for various applications, including medical treatments [9-10]. However, the toxic properties of mercury were not fully understood at the time, resulting in significant health risks for those who were exposed to it [39][41]. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the harmful effects of mercury were becoming more widely recognized, leading to a decline in its use in medical treatments [40].

While lice infestations are less common today, they still occur, and are spread in institutional settings, primarily such as pre-and-elementary schools, and to a lesser degree summer camps, sports teams. From understanding the life cycle of lice to recognizing the early signs of an infestation, information available today provides a wealth of information for parents, teachers, and caregivers in a position to monitor those most at risk. This body of information also addresses preventive measures, effective treatments, and the role of schools and childcare centers in managing outbreaks. [43].

This research focused on a museum collection of double-sided combs made from common reeds. These combs were used by cultural groups that flourished in river valleys in the Atacama Desert between about C.E. 500 and 1500. Viewing the combs at 10 times normal size revealed their true purpose: Many still bore traces of the lice and nits they had extracted from someone’s tresses [42].

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