Pagan peoples, including the ancient Slavs, have long attached sacred meaning to hair and beard; it was believed that longer hair, the more vitality a person has, the longer he will live in this world. The beard was especially taken care of - it was considered the beauty and honor of any man.

It is difficult to judge what hairstyles were worn in ancient times in Rus', because in most images the hair of men is hidden by headdresses or helmets, but it is known that the ancestors of the Slavs - the Scythians - wore fairly simple hairstyles, nobles and warriors grew their hair below their shoulders, and only fashionistas , having seen enough of the Greeks and Romans, they cut their hair in the form long bob and they curled both their hair and beard.

Varangians

In Rus', braids were braided by Varangian warriors who served in the princely squads - that is, Swedes, Danes and Norwegians. Since ancient times, these peoples had intricate hairstyles and the custom of frequently washing and caring for their hair and beard. This was done for practical purposes: so that the enemy could not detect the ambush by the smell of an unwashed body.

When a Viking burial boat was found in one of the estates in Norway in the city of Trondheim during random excavations, assumptions about the complexity of Norman hairstyles were confirmed: a bas-relief image of a Viking male head was found. The warrior's hair was evenly parted on two sides and neatly braided, the back of his head was shaved, and his long beard was braided.

The Vikings began to grow hair from childhood, and from childhood they shaved the hair on their temples and the back of their heads. On the crown of the head, the hair grew until it became too long and began to get in the way, then it was collected in a bun, and later, when it grew further, it began to be braided. Usually the braid covered the back of the warrior's head. The Normans believed that for her the Valkyries pulled out warriors who had fallen on the battlefield from the battle and took them to Valhalla.

The Varangians often shaved their beards, this can be seen from the image on the 11th century Bayeux tapestry, in which the Anglo-Saxons fight the Norman conquerors; apparently, there was no special sacred power in it, but some Normans have a lush mustache.

Princes and warriors

It is known that in ancient times Russian princes, and apparently warriors, shaved their heads bald, but left hair on the crown. Whether it was the Oseledets we know, or whether they braided a braid from this hair, is not known for certain, because ancient chronicles paid little attention to people’s appearance. However, the memory of the Byzantine writer Leo the Deacon has been preserved, who in the 10th century described the appearance of the Novgorod prince Svyatoslav, the son of Prince Igor and Princess Olga: “His head was shaved, but a tuft of hair hung from one side - a sign of a noble family.”

Whether this tuft of hair was a forelock or looked somehow different is not specified in Deacon’s memoirs. However, it is known that both Varangian and Slavic warriors had every right to braid their hair on both sides of their faces before an important matter: battles, long trips, and even marriage. That is, they did this not only so that their hair would not interfere in battle or on the road, but also for beauty.

Sorcerers

Witchers and sorcerers braided their hair and long beards into braids; they believed that by braiding them in a special way, they seemed to wrap themselves in amulets, and a long braid on the back supposedly protected a person from the rear - from evil eyes. In general, many superstitions were associated with hair in paganism. They were not cut so as not to lose their strength, they were burned so that no one could cause damage, and if the cut hair was carried away by a bird, they believed that it was a sign of illness - they expected that the person would soon begin to twist the way the hair was twisted in a bird’s nest. Hair was used for love spells, curses, and conspiracies. The sorcerer's special pride was his beard. They did not cut her hair under any circumstances, believing that she contained all the male and witchcraft power.

Lay people

In peacetime, the ancient Slavs walked with their hair down middle length, intercepted with a cord so as not to interfere with work. Hair and beard were neatly trimmed. There was even a special ceremony for little boys - tonsure. On this day, not only did scissors touch the child’s hair for the first time, but the future warrior was also allowed to sit on a horse for the first time.

After the adoption of Christianity, both princes and commoners began to cut their hair shorter, into a pot or braid, and stopped braiding it, since such a custom was recognized as pagan and unbecoming of a Christian. For example, there is an engraving depicting the grandson of Yaroslav the Wise, Prince of Kiev Izyaslav, in which the prince clearly has his hair cut like a pot. Prince Yaropolk and Vsevolod the Big Nest had approximately the same hairstyles.

In the “Geographical News” of 1850 there is an interesting entry, which says the following: “About the costume we find in de lanois that women in Novgorod wear two braids on their backs, and men wear one braid. The Novgorod headdress has not yet been described by anyone, and from our legends we cannot but confirm and refute the knight’s testimony about the braids of the Novgorodians, which now remain in Rus' the lot of only church clergy.”

Obviously, the magazine article refers to the traveler and diplomat Gilbert de Lanois from Flemish, who visited Novgorod in 1413 and left literary memories about it. It is difficult to judge whether he wrote the truth, since in the same memoirs he told how Novgorodians sell their wives to each other for money.

When it comes to a Russian beauty, one imagines a slender girl with rosy cheeks and a chic braid. For many centuries, girls in Rus' braided their hair this way. The braid was not just a woman’s pride and adornment, but could also tell a lot about its owner.

Unmarried girl, braiding her hair

Very little girls ran around with a three-pointed braid, which was supposed to be located strictly along the spine. This, according to the ancient Slavs, provided the baby vitality, which came precisely through the spine.

By the number of braids it was possible to determine social status women. The girl was allowed to decorate her braid with ribbons, but she did not have the right to braid two. It was possible to diversify your hairstyle only after the wedding. The day before, at the bachelorette party, the bridesmaids gathered, and with lamentations and tears, they braided the young couple’s two braids. The bride was supposed to put a special headdress on her head; for this, the braids were beautifully tied with ribbons or, more often, a kind of crown was made from them.

After the wedding, only the husband could look at women’s braids and touch them. Interestingly, the rule of one braid did not only apply to young girls. Those women who remained old maids wore one braid all their lives, and without a kokoshnik.

Why two? These were symbols: one braid represented vitality, and the second symbolized the woman’s fertility. Married women wore a one-horned kitty on their hair, and when the first baby was born, this kitty was replaced with another one, with a high horn.

The signs that the scythe gave and what rituals are associated with it

The ancient Slavs took such an ordinary procedure as combing their hair very seriously. While the children were small, no one could touch their hair except their parents.

People believed that the process of combing one's hair fills a person with vitality. That’s why women took a wooden comb in the evening and combed their hair carefully for a long time. Some sources claim that forty movements had to be made, others that at least a hundred. Of men to comb women's hair only the husband could.

In ancient times there was no social networks, in which girls today exhibit different statuses. A scythe was used for this purpose. The girl braided one braid - this corresponded current status"Actively looking". And if a girl wove a ribbon into her braid, it meant that she was looking forward to matchmaking from a potential groom. If the number of ribbons doubled, then those who wanted to get married could relax - there was already a groom. The guys didn’t even have to try, since two ribbons are not just a groom, but a man who has received the bride’s consent and parental blessing.

Unmarried girls used so-called braids to decorate their braids, that is, bright, beautiful ribbons with ornaments or voluminous figured pendants on them. Most often, the latter were made in the form of a triangle or a heart. The braids were indeed very beautiful. Craftswomen embroidered them with gold or silver, used pearls, sewed on fringes, and made ornaments (most often they were birds or plants). Not a single pattern was applied just like that; each of them contained its own secret meaning. They were for good luck, bringing happiness, money or health. When the wedding took place, the bride's braid was decorated with a bandage, a fairly wide ribbon with a pearl or beaded mesh along the bottom.

Scythe and honor

What do a woman's braid and a man's beard have in common? It turns out that these are peculiar symbols of honor. Today, boys at school often pull their classmates' braids, not considering it something terrible. In ancient times, for this they could receive a severe reprimand or even a flogging, since if a girl was pulled by her braid, it meant that she was insulted.

Hair cutting was a terrible punishment. There is a legend that one day the landowner, being angry, grabbed a pair of scissors and cut off the maid's braid. For this he was sentenced to a fine, which was, naturally, aimed at replenishing the state treasury. Fines also awaited those jokers who committed such an ugly act as tearing off a woman’s headdress.

A married woman did not have the right to remove her headdress or let her hair down in the presence of strangers. If a man was nearby, then by letting down her hair, the woman invited him to intimacy. The title of libertine was earned by the person who walked around with her hair untied. This is where the expression “go wild” comes from, that is, go out into society with your head uncovered or with your hair down. It was a shame that fell on the woman and her husband.

Trim? Who did it and what was the threat?

Maiden braid personified innocence. If someone cut off the braid on purpose or just fooling around, it was a great shame. Some historians argue that this opinion comes from the most ancient centuries, when the abduction of a woman was common. After the kidnapper took away his prey, the first thing he did was cut off the braid, thereby showing that the woman belonged to him. Today, many ladies, wanting to turn over an old page in life, go to a hairdressing salon and get a new one done. fashionable haircut. Previously, this was strict. Hair in Ancient Rus' They almost never cut their hair, believing that it would not lead to anything good. There were exceptions, for example, monastic tonsure.

It was allowed to cut the braids if the spouse died. This personified deep female grief. In some regions, it was a custom before the wedding to cut off the braided braid and give it to the future husband. It symbolized loyalty and love. After this, the young wife grew her hair again, but under a headdress. And then, when the ongs became long enough, she made two braids out of them.

People could also be deprived of their hair by force, for example, for fornication. It was a terrible event in the girl's life. The harlot locked herself in the house and did not come out until her hair grew back. By the way, it was impossible to get married without a braid in Ancient Rus'.

There are many signs associated with hair, some of which girls still know today. For example, there is an opinion that you should not cut your hair during pregnancy, so as not to lose your strength and the strength of the unborn child. Ancient recipes say that the ends of the hair should be cut on the New Moon, and then the braid will grow quickly and become thick. Old grandmothers in villages even today advise young mothers not to cut their child’s hair before he turns one. And after the first haircut, children's hair should be carefully preserved for the rest of their lives.

I can't bear to get married

Concerning appearance hair, the situation has not changed over millennia. Both in ancient times and today, thick beautiful hair. The groom looked at his chosen one, appreciating the shine of the hair and the thickness of the braid. The more luxurious she is, the healthier and kinder the wife will be.

And what did those girls whose braids were thin and not very beautiful do, because this does not depend on a person’s desire? Now the matter would be resolved very simply: a procedure such as hair extensions would instantly correct the situation. Surprisingly, already in ancient times, girls figured out how to deceive naive suitors. They cut the horses' tails, made thin braids out of them and carefully, skillfully wove them into their hair, thereby increasing the thickness of the braid and giving it the look that would delight the groom's gaze and calm him down.

Yes, and in ancient times there were little feminine tricks. To strengthen their hair, women prepared herbal infusions, washed their hair with rainwater, melted the first clean snow, rubbed goose fat, salt, and burdock juice into their hair. Today there are many ancient recipes that help modern girls keep your hair in excellent condition. Many shampoos, conditioners and other hair care products are made based on grandma's recipes, which have stood the test of time, have proven themselves well and have helped more than one girl marry her chosen one.

No less interesting traditions are also associated with the wedding. Today, not many people have heard about.

In Rus', since ancient times, the braid has been considered a symbol of girlish beauty. The braid was the main way to wear hair - for girls, women, and old women.

Walking around with an untidy head and loose hair was considered shameful. This was allowed only on special days when the taboo did not apply - for example, on Ivan Kupala. But in general, as soon as a girl reached a certain age, she began to wear a strictly defined hairstyle - a braid, usually woven from three strands.

In general, the first braiding of a girl’s hair meant her transition to a new age category. Until then, her hair could have been cut. But as soon as she began to approach marriageable age (and it was very early - from the age of 13), her hairstyle was changed, and at the same time her clothes. Children's shirts went to younger brothers and sisters, and a girl acquiring the status of a girl, along with her braid, was entitled to other, not children's, but women's clothing.

In Rus' unmarried girls wore one braid. Good ones, Thick hair were highly valued because they spoke of strength and health. We can say that the expression “a braid is a girl’s beauty” had a completely literal meaning - the one whose braid was the longest was considered the best bride. And so the girls tried their best to make their braids grow thick.

Those who did not succeed resorted to vile deception - they wove hair from ponytails. Or they tried outlandish ways to strengthen their hair: they rubbed snake oil into it so that the hair was long, like snakes, or hid a rope under the pillow so that the hair was strong, ran in the summer rain, applied a herb to their hair, which is called “braid”, anointed hair with grape juice, so that the braid was elastic, like a grapevine... And, of course, they strengthened it with decoctions of herbs and the like. God knows whether it helped them or not, but modern doctors say that the thickness of hair and its length (if you don’t cut it, of course), are determined by genetic characteristics, and it is impossible to change them.

However, there was another way to increase the volume of the braid - to weave a ribbon from the very base of the braid, which, in fact, was done. It was both a decoration and a sign: if a ribbon appeared in a girl’s braid, it meant that the girl was of marriageable age. As soon as she had a fiancé, and had already received a blessing for marriage from her parents, then instead of one ribbon, two appeared, and they were woven not from the base of the braid, but from its middle. This was a signal to the other suitors that their further efforts were in vain, since the girl and her family had already decided on a candidate for husband.

And the girl had only a short time to wear her braid. Before the wedding, friends wept and unraveled the bride's hair, and she said goodbye to her usual hairstyle as a symbol of carefree girlhood. And it was mourned in special ritual songs, the texts of which have survived to this day:

As the hour passes,
Soon the will is short,
I'll part with my volushka,
I confess to the slave.
Isn't the mountain crumbling?
Let the tubular braid unravel,
May this wonderful century pass by.
Divya's swan share,
Divya's nickname is okay
The female lot is inferior,
A woman's title is not good.

Upon marriage, the girl had two braids braided, which were then placed around her head like a crown - a hint of her new, taller family status. But this does not mean that the newlywed’s life became easier - she ended up in someone else’s family and became completely dependent on her husband.

The newly-made wife had no right to wear one braid - there was even a sign that because of this she could become a widow. Probably, they simply intimidated young girls, seeing in their reluctance to change their hairstyle, a reluctance to lose their freedom and fully accept the responsibilities that fell on her shoulders. And following these concerns, either a scarf, or a warrior (a cloth cap), or a kika (this is a hat with two horns), or some other type of headdress was placed on the young wife’s head.

It is not appropriate for a married woman to walk around with her head uncovered. The exception is fortune telling, since women with loose hair told fortunes, as well as mourning the deceased - loose hair symbolized the bitterness of loss. In other cases, the hair was hidden under the fabric.

The scarf on her head seemed to shelter the woman and her beauty from prying male gazes, and spoke of her severity and good morals. And to tear off her headdress meant to insult and humiliate both herself and her family. The worst insult was having my hair cut off. If a girl cut her braid on her own, then most likely she was mourning her deceased groom, and cutting her hair was for her an expression of deep grief and reluctance to get married.

But the braid could also be cut off forcibly - say, if a girl lost her virginity before marriage. This was already at the time of the adoption of Christianity, because in pagan times the presence of a premarital child was not an obstacle to a wedding, and even vice versa: the girl’s fertility was confirmed as a living accomplished fact. Then morals became stricter, and the one who took liberties before the wedding could part with her hair as punishment - it could also be cut off by a jealous rival.

In addition, in some places there was a curious custom when a girl’s braid was cut off before marriage, and she gave it to her husband, as if saying that she was giving him her whole life, and then grew a new one under the scarf. In the event of an attack by enemies - the Pechenegs or Polovtsians, for example - the husband could take his wife’s maiden braid with him into battle, as a talisman against misfortune and the evil eye. And if enemies broke into Slavic settlements, then, in addition to logically explainable robbery, violence and murder, they could cut off women’s hair.

Apparently, hair had some mystically important symbolic meaning for people. It was not for nothing that the beauty of the bride was determined by the length of her braid, it was not for nothing that wives were forced to cover their hair with a scarf, and it was not for nothing that nomads sought to cut off the braids of girls and women in the lands they attacked. It seems that hair was directly associated with life force.

By the way, there is a legend about this in the Bible, about a man of exorbitant strength - Samson, whose power lay in his hair, which he wore braided, by the way, in braids. When his enemies managed to cut off his hair by deception, Samson weakened, he was blinded, he remained in slavery, and his enemies took him to their temple to make fun of him there. But as soon as his hair grew back, Samson pulled the chains that chained him to the columns, causing the building to collapse, burying both himself and his jailers.

Beliefs related to hair exist among almost all nations. It was believed that hair could be used in love spells, so people tried to burn cut hair - after all, even if it does not fall into the hands of a witch, birds can find it and make a nest out of it, and then, if you believe the superstition, the person will begin to be twisted in the same way, how his hair is twisted in a nest.

In a number of religious ceremonies, the abandonment of hair indicates the abandonment of the old way of life and the acceptance of religious precepts. In Orthodoxy, at baptism, as well as at initiation into monasticism, there is a rite of tonsure, and in Catholicism, all clergy shaved their tonsure.

Hair has traditionally been considered the seat of life force, so young children are not usually cut until a certain age (usually 3-5 years). Among the Slavs, the first haircut was a special ritual, which was called tonsure. In princely families, the boy was also mounted on a horse for the first time on the day of tonsure.

Today, hairstyle, in general, does not particularly reflect someone’s social status - everyone wears what he likes, and hair is not given the mystical significance that was attributed to it before.

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At first glance, a braid is the simplest and most unpretentious hairstyle that does not require much time to create. She braided it and went. But in fact, braids as such have had a deep sacred meaning since ancient times, and our distant ancestors did not decorate their heads with braids because of their practicality.

With the help of braids they showed family and social status, turned to the gods for help, and drove away evil spirits.

Braids served as a protective amulet in battles, nursing mothers wove complex braids to confuse witches and not lose milk, sorcerers and shamans neutralized other people's magic. You and I can also join in with the old ways and try to use our hair not only to create an image.

In Rus', two braids wrapped around the head and tucked under the kika served as an indicator that the woman was married.

It was considered unacceptable to bare your head in the presence of strangers, and even more so to let your hair down. The only exceptions were the bathhouse and some pagan holidays, when a young wife “lured” pregnancy with her loose hair.

In other cases, “being a fool” meant covering yourself and your husband with shame. Young girls also braided one braid, decorated it with ribbons, and were proud of it.

The loss of the scythe was an even greater shame than the gate stained with tar. The girl locked herself at home and waited for her hair to grow back - without a braid, she simply had no chance of getting married. Therefore, such a misfortune was hidden from prying eyes with the help of various tricks.

But the Druidesses let their hair down in front of the altar. So they showed the priests and the future husband that they did not use magic and love spells to bewitch and to achieve marriage, that love came on its own, that the groom leads her to the altar of his own free will, and that in the future a good wife will not influence her husband with witchcraft. However, to promise does not mean to fulfill... Ladies of different eras and nations braided their hair as a decoration.

Egyptian women short hair were braided into a huge number of braids that reached to the ears.

The fashionable ladies of Europe wove voluminous braids when rustic style came into fashion.

Asian girls still braid five or more braids. And you and I use centuries of experience and various ways weaving to become even more beautiful.

Braiding hair for men

It wasn't just women who braided their hair. The ancient Rus shaved their heads, leaving a long tuft of hair on the top and braiding it into a braid, so that it would be more convenient for Svarog to pull his sons out of the battlefield. It was believed that in this way he saved his best warriors from death and took fallen heroes to Virium. The Ukrainians also left the oseledets (forelock), tucking it behind the ear. Only this tuft of hair was not braided, although it had a similar meaning.

In some Slavic tribes, braids that fell along the face, with the rest of the hair flowing, were a sign that the warrior was going to battle, was planning revenge, or was about to get married. The number of braids and the methods of weaving them differed. In peaceful and calm times, Slavic men wore their hair loose, tied on the forehead with a leather strap or an ordinary rope.

Among Chinese men, braids have long been considered a sign of enslavement and the lowest caste. The so-called coolies - poor people who sold themselves into slavery for pennies - did not have the right to wear any other hairstyle so that their status would be immediately visible.

In one of the Indian castes, a man's braid is still a sign of spiritual strength, a sign of service to one of the gods. Moreover, the hair is not cut from birth, and by old age the braid can reach one and a half meters. The loss of a scythe for one reason or another - the machinations of enemies, illness, fire, etc. - is equated to a loss of strength and influence. Now a man simply loses the respect of his fellow tribesmen, but before he could be expelled from the caste and even killed so that he would not bring bad luck to the others and would not bring misfortune, pestilence and the wrath of the gods upon the caste.

Indians of some tribes, men and women, braided two braids, but did it for different purposes. For women, braids symbolized femininity and submission to their man, and men, by the way, with the help of braids, just like the ancient Slavs, showed what was happening to them at the moment. Only they did not weave any special braids, but reflected what was happening, decorating them, depending on the situation: with feathers and clay beads - in peacetime and before hunting, bones and fangs of animals - going on the warpath, bone and wooden totem images - before ritual tribal holidays and councils.

Weaving ritual: driving away evil spirits

You can talk about braids endlessly, but I suggest you move from words to action and master several spells, using which when weaving braids, you can not only confuse evil spirits, protect yourself from the bad will of others, from the evil eye and outright sabotage, and keep yourself intact , but also to find love.
Conspiracy against spoilage of milk
If you are a nursing mother, then by braiding a complex braid, for example, a spikelet, you will protect yourself from damage and loss of milk, you will not give unkind people influence you and your baby with bad thoughts.

First, comb your hair three times seven times, throwing it from one side to the other, and then braid any complex braid, saying: “I braid the braid, I save the milk, I protect it from bitterness. Alien speech, bad thoughts go away, the word should help, hair caressed, softly spreads, kind, bright speeches creep, sweet milk flows, for my child’s joy and health. My word is strong."

And the final touch - secure the braid with a red ribbon or a hairpin with red and white elements.
Conspiracy against the evil eye
If you suspect someone you know has the evil eye, before meeting this person, braid your hair and decorate it with a comb - an excellent protective amulet against the evil eye. Braided hair will confuse evil thoughts, and a comb will neutralize evil.

Say while braiding: “I braid my hair, I confuse it, I confuse other people’s, unkind thoughts, do not untangle my hair, do not put the evil eye on me, do not offend me, do not deprive me of my will. I stick the comb into the braid, I poke the enemy and the offender with the comb, let bad thoughts return to him, but not touch me. My word is strong.”

Conspiracy to find love

If you want to find your love, then, on the waxing moon, at midnight, let your hair down and comb it in front of the window, preferably if moonlight hits you, or at least you can see the moon through the window.

Comb your hair until your desire appears before your mind's eye - you must clearly imagine yourself next to you, hand in hand, with your chosen one - concrete or abstract, potential. When the picture appears, begin to weave a regular braid of three strands, braid it as tightly as possible, saying: “As I braid hair, so I will find love, as the braid is tight, so love is strong, as three strands in the braid, so is love in me. Strand to strand, I will bring love.” And then, without unraveling your braids, go to bed.

And finally, an old gypsy ritual: if you doubt the fidelity of your spouse or lover, then take a strand of his hair, weave it or connect it with your lock of hair during the full moon, fasten the hair with a red thread and, imagining your man next to you, say: “Love will flare up with new strength, my dear will remain close, away, hateful thoughts, loyalty to me will be a reward. I connect my hair, I weave destinies into one, my dear will be nearby, from now on we are indivisible.”

Repeat this ritual for three full moons in a row. You can slander the same strand, but it’s better if you braid your hair anew each time. Just don’t get carried away with cutting your hair, otherwise after the third ritual you and your sweetheart will be inseparable, but bald...

1. Two are better than one

Before marriage, girls wore one braid. At the bachelorette party, the girlfriends, howling and crying, probably due to envy, intertwined one braid into two. It was two braids that were worn married women in Rus'. They were placed as a crown on the head or tied with a ribbon to make it easier to put on the headdress. From the moment a woman got married, no one except her husband, naturally, saw her braids anymore. It is interesting that old maids were strictly forbidden to twist one braid into two, and they were also forbidden to wear a kokoshnik.

2. Life forces

Little girls were braided with so-called three-ray braids, which symbolized the trinity. The braid was located strictly in the direction of the spine, since, according to our ancestors, it served to fill a person with vital forces through the spine. It is no coincidence that when women got married, they braided two braids: one braid nourished her with life, and the other - her future offspring.

3. Reading from the braid

The braid was not just a hairstyle. She could tell a lot about her owner. So, if a girl wore one braid, then she was “actively searching.” Got a ribbon in your braid? The girl is of marriageable age, and all potential candidates must urgently send matchmakers. If two ribbons appeared in the braid, and they were woven not from the beginning of the braid, but from its middle, then that’s it, “dry your oars,” or, as they say, those who didn’t make it in time are late: the girl has a groom. And not just the one who makes eyes and plays at exchanging glances, but the official one, because the ribbons also meant the blessing received from the parents for marriage.

4. Sacred Ritual

Combing your hair was like a sacred ritual, because during the procedure you could touch vital energy person. Apparently, in order to restore what was lost during the day vitality and required running a comb through the hair at least 40 times. Only their parents could comb their children's hair, and then the person himself would do this daily procedure. It is interesting that the girl could only allow her chosen one or her husband to undo her braid and comb her hair.

5. Symbol of honor

For women, a braid was the same symbol of honor as a beard for men. Pulling the braid meant insulting the girl, not to mention cutting off her hair. Once, one gentleman, in a rage, cut off his maid’s thin braid, and then calmed down his indignant peasants, and even paid a fine. By the way, those who dared to tear off, for example, a woman’s headdress, were also punished with serious fines. Only the fines, it seems, did not go at all to improve the moral state of the victim, but to the state treasury.

6. Change your life

The fact that cutting hair radically changes life seems to have been well known in the old days. Hence the sign that has survived to this day that it is extremely undesirable for pregnant women to cut their hair. Voluntarily, and sometimes with reverent awe, only women who were in a state of severe mental shock, for example, during monastic tonsure, allowed their braids to be cut off. In Ancient Rus' there was no habit of cutting hair at all, and this custom has been preserved in modern monasteries.

7. Women's tricks

A braid as thick as an arm was considered the standard female beauty in Rus'. Healthy and shiny hair better than words flattering matchmakers could say about their future wife. Unfortunately, not all beauties could boast of being plump. long braids. Naturally, expansion has never been heard of in Rus'. So the young ladies resorted to deception - they wove hair from ponytails into their braids. What can we do, everyone wants to get married!