THE FIRST WIG
THE FIRST WIG: From Ancient Africa to the Modern World
Where did the wig really begin?
Long before powdered European wigs, lace fronts, synthetic fibers, and modern beauty stores, people in ancient Africa were already engineering false hair and sophisticated wigs thousands of years ago.
In The First Wig, Darren R. Kelley traces the remarkable history of wigs from archaeological evidence in ancient Egypt through Greece and Rome, European royal courts, colonial societies, industrial manufacturing, and today's global wig industry.
The book explores why wigs were created, how ancient Egyptian wigmakers constructed them, their connection to hygiene, beauty, protection and social status, and how wigs eventually became symbols of wealth, authority, fashion and personal identity.
It also examines the modern question: Are wigs actually protective?
From lace fronts and synthetic fibers to glue, wig caps, cornrows and traction alopecia, The First Wig separates the wig itself from the modern installation practices that can sometimes damage natural hair and the scalp.
More than 5,000 years of hair history in one concise journey—from ancient Africa to the modern world.