Early Wigs
The earliest Egyptian wigs (c. 2700 B.C.E.) were constructed of human hair, but cheaper substitutes such as palm leaf fibers and wool were more widely used. They denoted rank, social status, and religious piety and were used as protection against the sun while keeping the head free from vermin.
Who invented the first wig?
The ancient Egyptians created the wig to shield shaved, hairless heads from the sun.
When were wigs first invented?
Origins in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt has some of the earliest recorded usage of hair pieces and wigs, with evidence of extensions dating as far back as 3400 B.C. Wigmakers used to create wigs out of a variety of materials such as vegetable fibers, wool, animal hair and human hair.
