Hair in the Classical World

Piece from Hair in the Classical World

Hair in the Classical World

The Bellarmine Museum

October 7 - December 18, 2015

In most cultures hair is not worn in its natural state; it is artfully styled or dressed. Cut, combed, colored, curled, and shaped hair — that most universal of physical features — is also frequently adorned with implements or braids and occasionally, further embellished with pins, beads, and other decorations.

This exhibition delves into this fascinating subject through a comprehensive cross-cultural examination of hair in ancient Greece, Cyprus, and Rome. Featuring artifacts from the Bronze Age to late Antiquity, Hair in the Classical World will examine how hair and its treatment were important socio-cultural signifiers in Classical Antiquity through three discrete but inter-related sections: Arrangement and Adornment, Ritual/Rites of Passage, and Divine and Royal Iconography. A scholarly symposium will complement this show.

 

Listen to the audio guide.

Hair in the Classical World Symposium

Friday, November 6, 2015. 12:30-4:30.
Bellarmine Hall, Fairfield University

Watch a video tour of the exhibition with the co-curators, Dr. Katherine Schwab and Dr. Marice Rose.