Even teeth did not escape the hands of beauty. In ancient Greece, women stained their teeth red. But in ancient Japan, men and women would stain them black. For the Japanese, black teeth were a sign of high birth—black was a color that never changed; it symbolized fidelity and constancy. In fact, our fascination with dental beauty continues to this day—men and women have their teeth whitened, capped, gapped, crowned in gold and silver—even filed into different shapes (as in the case of some young Balinese before marriage)!  In Africa, a cattle herding people known as the Toposa, extract their lower teeth in order to make the upper jaw and teeth protrude unnaturally. This practice demonstrates an appreciation for their cattle, as the resulting effect imitates the long jaw and buck teeth of their highly-prized herds.

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," so the saying goes, and rock singer Billy Idol's white-blond spikes would have made his ancient brethren proud. Toward the end of the Iron Age (1000 BC to 50 BC), Celts and Gauls washed their hair with lime-water—a white, chalky substance. The process produced striking, white spikes of hair, that some believe yielded a more fearsome countenance on the battlefield. This hairstyle, combined with spiraled tattoos of blue paint all over their bodies (seen as late as the 13th century—remember Mel Gibson in Braveheart?), certainly would have made Jolique surrender to the enemy!

Above: Examples of La Tène Celtic tattoos. (5)

And doesn't what we wear still communicate those same messages? A suit and tie say: "I have a non-labor-intensive job that earns a good living." Contrarily, a man wearing shorts and sandals to work sends a message that may indicate, "Hey, I own the company and can wear whatever I want. My comfort comes first." A woman toting a Chanel purse says, "I am wealthy and can afford to buy non-essential clothing."

Although the manner in which we dress is constantly evolving, the messages that our dress convey repeat themselves over and over. As the earth changes and adapts, so must its living creatures in order to live and communicate. As the Dogon people (West Africa) say: "To be naked is to be speechless." For them and for us all, dress is a powerful sign language.

October 15, 1999

Bibliography:

Boucher, Francois, 20,000 Years of Fashion: The History of Costume and Personal Adornment Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers, New York, 1965.

Contini, Mila, Fashions from Ancient Egypt to the Present Day, London, 1965.

Corson, Richard, Fashions In Makeup, Peter Owen, London, 1972.

Davidson, Basil, African Kingdoms, Time-Life Books, Alexandria, VA, 1966.

Faure, Elie, History of Art: Renaissance Art, Harper & Brothers Publishers, New York, 1923.

Faure, Elie, History of Art: Mediaeval Art, Harper & Brothers Publishers, New York, 1922.

Fisher, Angela, Africa Adorned, Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publishers, New York, 1984.

James, Simon, The World of the Celts, Thames and Hudson, Ltd., London, 1993.

Kennett, Frances, Ethnic Dress, Facts on File, New York, 1994.

Morris, Desmond, The Naked Ape, Dell Publishing Co., New York, 1967.

Pijoan, Joseph, History of Art, B.T. Batsford, Ltd., London, 1933.

Robinson, Julian, The Quest for Human Beauty: An Illustrated History, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York, 1998.

Sichel, Marion, Japan, Chelsea House Publishers, New York, 1987.

Vatsyayana, translated by Sir Richard Burton, The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1963.

Photo Credits

(1) Faure, Elie, History of Art: Ancient Art, "Austria. (Cavern of Willendorf) Statuette of a Woman, olithic limestone," p. 4

(2) Pijoan, Joseph, History of Art, Detail from "The Heretic Pharaoh Akhenaton and His Wife Nefer-nefru-aton," p. 72, Fig. 110.

(3) Faure, Elie, History of Art: Ancient Art, "Tangara. The toilet," p. 233.

(4) Faure, Elie, History of Art: Mediaeval Art, "Ajanta (II c. BC to VI c. AD) Shiva and Parvati. Fresco…," p. 15

(5) Pijoan, Joseph, History of Art,"Small Prehistoric Figures Showing Tattooing," p. 34, fig. 38.