Looking at civil war photographs, it appears as though long hair on men was acceptable at the time. But sometime after that it became unfashionable and outright shameful to some (my grandfather as an example) for a man to wear long hair.
When and why did this happen?
The “Ceaser” cut, an othe classical style cuts, became fashionable in the late 1790’s, bringing short hair back to fashion for men. It became old fashioned and even decadent to have long hair in the coming years. This, with time, became tradtion, and long hair was seen as yet another symbol of the extrvagant and evil past.
For a very long time, it has been common for protestent leaders to have short hair. everything else was not seen as somber.
Some one help me- what is the Edith Wharton quote about the “Wicked old days?”
http://www.richeast.org/htwm/fashion2/mens.html
There were exceptions even then. Buffalo Bill Cody was known for his long hair. I’m sure there were others.
I don’t think long hair became fasionable again until the influence of the Beatles in the 1960’s. Some people attempted to shame the men with long hair by saying that they looked like women or complaining that they couldn’t keep it clean. For some it appeared to be a moral issue.
I think the Romans cut their hair short to prevent the enemy from grabbing their hair in battle (sort-of cite - Roman History class I took while studying in Italy in college). The fact that the Romans controlled most of the known world probably had an influence on hairstyles - whether or not this was the driving force for men for 2000 years later is hard to say.
In some circles, long hair was so de rigeur, in the early 1970’s that I remember a kid being punished (by his parents) by having to cut his hair to a crewcut. The infraction was saying F*** you to a teacher.
“Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?”
- I Corinthians 11:14
Apparently short hair goes in and out of style…
In 1969, I was working in a starter factory. A grim old Christian there who scowled at the idea of Christmas gift-giving noticed I was growing my hair out. He quoted one of the Gospels to me, and said it was a shame for a man to wear his hair long, or for a woman to wear hers short. I’ve forgotten which book he quoted, but it made me more determined to wear my hair long.
Unfortunately, I didn’t look good in long hair. I have great hair, but it wanted to look more Doris Day than George Harrison. Even at 6’ 4’’, with a moustache, gas station attendants called me “miss.” I went to a barber shop and asked for a medium long haircut. I walked out looking like I was on leave from the Army. Those were strange times for a hip young man.
Why didn’t you point him to the nearest picture of Jesus? I’ve never seen an image of him with short hair.
Sounds unlikely to me. Not every Roman was in the army, even if there were some benefit to short hair in combat.
Only cite I can find seems to indicate that the Romans went through style phases.
Fashion is fickle and short lived.
When crewcuts started appearing on college campuses 50 years ago, it shocked “the norms”. Talk about a scandalous haircut!
Dammit. I closed all of my links but just thought of something. One of them mentioned that, irrespective of the style of the times, the poor were more likely to have beards. The reason being that barbers cost money and you didn’t want to be shaving yourself (presumably lack of mirrors in the slums, lack or razor sharp implements, etc.).
So it could be a conspicuous consumption thing. Rich/middle classes can afford to have their hair barbered, so that becomes the ideal to aspire to. Still, that’s a WAG.
Many of the pictures of Jesus were painted as what they thought he looked like, if he even existed.
Yes, I know this.
It’s also why Jesus is often portrayed as a white guy with blue eyes . . .
I don’t know if any of you have seen this clip but there is some footage of David Bowie in the early 60’s when he belonged to some kind of “Young Men Long Hair Club” or something like that (I probably saw it on Behind the Music or something). In any case, at the time his “long hair” barely touched his eyebrows, ears, and back collar.
Long hair indeed.
I was always of the opinion that the story of Sampson was to be understood as encouraging lengthy hair.
Blue eyes are not as uncommon as you would think in the Middle East, particularly around the Mediterranean. As for being white, I don’t think Jesus was black or asian. Once again, you will find all shades of “white” in the Middle East.
Slitghlty off-topic: Brings back memories. Around ‘74 or so, my mother got stuck with the job of taking my little brother to the barber for his haircut instead of my dad. She naively said she wanted his hair “short”. “Short” to a real barber is a short crewcut. In the early 70’s, this was about the weirdest lookin’ haircut any kid could have (my brother was 7, I think). I remember not being able to resist rubbing his head constantly becasue of the exotic texture…
At the same time hats went out of fashion, after WWII. The military of which a large percentage of the male population was a member required short hair and hats. The first thing thrown away after returning home was the hat but the hair style was kept.
Ironic isn’t it, considering Harry Truman was president.
As I understand (and I could be wrong–correct me if I am) the blue eyes and lighter skin types seen in the Middle East today are a result of post-Crusade intermarriage with Europeans.
While Middle Easterners are not “black,” they are not strictly “white” either. They’re darker skinned than “caucasians” but lighter than Africans. As I understand, people from around this area during Jesus’ lifetime generally had brown hair and eyes as well.
This is what a Discovery Channel documentary supposes Jesus might have looked like.
You’re wrong. Blue eyes are recorded in the Middle east from well before the crusades.