Roman Hairdressing
One of our guest students talks about two Roman artefacts in our collections
(To view this video clip you will need to have Quicktime installed on your computer - click here to download Quicktime)
A Roman hairstyle created by York College students
We invited hair and beauty experts to help us understand more about how Roman artefacts in our collection were used to create the elaborate hairstyles we see on our Roman coins and sculptures.
These artefacts include pins and rings made of jet, bronze tweezers and bone combs.
Our archaeologists knew these objects were associated with hair and beauty because they were found near the heads of Roman skeletons buried in York, or with objects like mirrors and combs.
Another Roman style created using plaited hair
A group of media make-up students from York College came to our aid and compared the objects with the tools of the trade they use today.
Some items which had baffled us were immediately identified, such as long tweezers which were probably used as heated curling tongs and an elaborate jet pin used to create ringlets.
The students tested their theories by using a mixture of original Roman objects and replicas to recreate Roman hairstyles in a special session at York College.
An exhibition of their handiwork, using mannequin heads, and related Roman artefacts is to be displayed later this year at the Yorkshire Museum.
A side view of one of the other recreated styles
We would like to thank York College for their enthusiastic support for this Time Travellers project, Whitby jet workers W Hamond, who made our replica hair curler, and York hairdressers Dennis Williams, of Clifton Moor, York, who provided the mannequin heads.
Click here to find out about one of the museum's Star Objects - a real piece of Roman hair.