Hair in Archaic and Classical Greek Art: An Anthropological Approach

Anthropologists and sociologists have made hair the focus of numerous studies since the late nineteenth century, noting the importance of hair behavior during rituals and the ways in which communities in different cultures harness this uniquely expressive body part to signal inclusion and change in status. Although hairstyles in Greek and Roman Antiquity have frequently been the subject of scholarly attention, no systematic study of the meaning of hair in Greek art has previously been undertaken. This dissertation investigates hair in the Archaic and Classical periods in a variety of ways, with an emphasis on how it could visually demarcate ideal figures and situations from chaotic, dangerous ones. Hair is considered both practically and symbolically in relation to the consolidation of gender roles in Greek society, concentrating on its erotic potential, as well as the importance of grooming and self-care in establishing the community members in opposition to the unstable characters found outside the bounds of society in myth. The unique capacity of hair to signal order, energy, and emotion is demonstrated using a wealth of surviving visual material with an emphasis on vase painting and sculpture