Head Lice History & Co-Evolution with Humans
Clothing use by humans plays a significant role in the split between head lice & body lice.
From hand picking to combing to development of modern treatments.
Head Lice History & Co-Evolution with Humans
Clothing use by humans plays a significant role in the split between head lice & body lice.
From hand picking to combing to development of modern treatments.
A genetic analysis of human lice from across the globe revealed a clear split between lice originating from Asia and those from Europe [2][4]. 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 colonization56. The lice that arrived with the First People from East Asia left a genetic signature in modern louse populations in Central America. The other group prevalent in the Americas reflects the more recent colonization of the region by Europeans [5][6].
The split between head and body lice occurred around 42,000 to 72,000 years ago. This separation is believed to coincide with the time when humans began wearing clothing. 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]. The evolution of head lice has been closely tied to human evolution, migration, and cultural practices such as the use of clothing. This co-evolution has resulted in distinct lice populations that mirror human migration patterns and adaptations.
Head Lice History on the Early American Frontier: Fort Crawford
Life at a frontier fort in the early 19th century was far from easy. Soldiers dealt with seasonal threats like mosquito-borne malaria and periodic outbreaks of dysentery, cholera, and typhus. 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. [read more]
Human Lice Evolution: What came first, head lice, body lice or neither?
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. 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. [read more]
Historical Head Lice Treatment Demonstrated by 3700 Year-Old Ivory Lice Comb
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 and unearthed in 2016 from an Israeli archaeological site called Lachish. However, the minuscule 1-3mm letters were overlooked until 2021, when a research associate Zoom in on a photo of the comb. The sentence is inscribed in the language of the Canaanites that lived between 3500 and 1150 B.C.E. in what’s now Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine. [read more]
Historic Origins of Head Shaving for Head Lice Prevention
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. Similarly, by 450 B.C., Egyptians recommended shaving the entire body to eradicate lice. This 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 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. [read more]
Head Shaving for Lice Prevention Contributes to Earliest Wig Use
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. [read more]
