Fashion on Coins II: Hairstyles
"She combs her golden hair. She combs it with a golden comb …" In Heinrich Heine's (*1797, †1856) poem of the Lorelei it magically lights up the seductive beauty of the woman who is styling her glossy hair.
The style of the hair arises from humans' natural need for beauty and the knowledge that the thickness and colour of the splendour of the hair helps to determine the impression which we make on the world around us. As long ago as 4,000 years BC, the ancient Egyptians styled their hair with combs, knives and hair needles, as we know from finds in their graves. But hairstyles make us not only beautiful and attractive, they also inform us about the customs and characteristics of an age or about the social standing and profession of a person.
This picture tour shows how the changes in hairstyles are reflected in coin designs in the course of time.