The history goes back to Ancient Egypt. It is the barbers there that can be called the "forefathers" of modern brutal barbers. They used sharpened oyster shells as shaving blades. Being a barber was prestigious because there was a belief in the sacredness of hair and that a bad haircut could attract evil spirits. And in general, the presence of a quality hairstyle made it clear that a person belongs at least to the "middle class", if not to the upper strata of society. Therefore, those who could arrange this hairstyle were highly valued among the locals.
We can not ignore the Ancient Greece. We have all seen philosophers and gods who are depicted with a lush well-groomed beard. Apparently, since those times there was a widespread belief that a voluminous beard is a sign of a man's intelligence. And a good beard, as you know, is simply impossible without a good master.
Ancient Rome was not far behind. Hairdressing was introduced in Sicily, where barber shops quickly became very popular centers for daily news and gossip. A morning visit to the barber became part of the daily routine, as important as a visit to the public baths, and the first shave of a young man was considered an integral part of his coming of age ceremony. Roman emperors were a kind of "opinion leaders" of that time and set trends for beards. As soon as the emperor shaved, everyone else repeated after him. If he wanted to grow vegetation, it was believed that others should do the same.
But where did exactly what we imagine today under the word "barbershop" appear? Habitual today masters, traditions and entourage originate from the Middle Ages. The most educated class then were priests, who were also doctors. And barbers helped them. Thus, the profession of barber-surgeon was formed. They not only cut hair, but also performed operations. The symbol that informed that such procedures were performed in this place was a barber pool. We have already talked about this earlier.
About 200 years later, in Chicago, the profession received a new round, a school for barbers was founded there. It was the first institution of its kind in the world, and its success was obvious from the very beginning. The trend of learning the "new old" profession spread to other states. It was then that "shops" became "men's clubs" where people came to relax, drink and have a good time. It was a purely male space, basically without ladies.
In parallel, hairdressing was developing on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, in England. The famous London salon Truefitt & Hill is the oldest barbershop in the world, which is included in the Guinness Book of Records. It has existed since 1805. At different times, it served members of the royal family, as well as Frank Sinatra, Winston Churchill and Charles Dickens.
Barbershop is a centuries-old culture, having tried all the delights of which once you will not remain indifferent. After all, for a real man a haircut is extremely important, it is a kind of quality mark of his style. So we invite you to choose your master and try something new in the barbershop Mr. Colt!
by Anton Kolosov
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