It was worn in Egypt in former days, and the Egyptians
are said to have invented it, not merely as a covering for baldness, but
as a means of adding to the attractiveness of the person wearing it. On
the mummies of Egypt wigs are found, and we give a picture of one now in
the British Museum. This particular wig probably belonged to a female,
and was found near the small temple of Isis, Thebes. It was customary in
Egypt to shave the head, and the wig was an excellent covering for the
head, much better than a turban, for the wig protected it from the rays
of the sun, and its texture allowed the transpiration of the head to
escape. The wigs were worn both within the house and out of doors. The
specimens of Egyptian wigs in the British Museum consist of curled hair
in the upper portions, and the lower parts and sides are made of plaited
hair. Ointment was used at the top of the wig in the same manner as if
it had been hair growing on the head.
Assyrian sculptures frequently represent the wig, and its use is
recorded among ancient nations including Persians, Medes, Lydians,
Carians, Greeks, and Romans.
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