Dating more than 6000 years ago, barbering is one of the oldest professions known to man. And, why not? Grooming has always been an important part of people’s lives, whether warriors, kings, or professionals today. The word barber is derived from the Latin term “barba” which translates to beard in English. Here’s a brief history of barbering:
As long back as 4000 B.C, the early Egyptian civilization considered barbering as a regal profession. Moreover, hairstyles were an important part of the class system in Egypt. The kings were told apart from the slaves and clergies through their hair. In the Greek culture, beard was considered a sign of masculinity and strength. The quality of facial hair was often a criterion to dictate class and intellect among men in Athens. In fact, between 1000 A.D.-1745A.D., owing to their skills, barbers also performed cauterization, bloodletting, tooth extraction, and other surgical duties. With advancement in medicine, the professions soon became separate. By the 18th and 19th Century, barbering became as we know it today – shaving, cutting and grooming.
As barbering became a fulltime profession, Chicago established the first-of-its-kind school which offered a barbering course to aspiring people. In this barbering course, students were offered practical lessons in facials, hairstyling, shaving, etc.
Interested in picking up barbering as a profession?
Does the rich history of barbering inspire you to take a barbering course? Reach out to us at Choppers Barber. We offer a Beginner Part Time Evening Barber Course. It is a 12-week long course covering a variety of aspects of barbering such as barbering concepts, fading and clippers mastery, standard haircuts, layering, hygiene, etc. At the end of the course, we provide a barbering kit to our students to get their journey started. We offer an early bird discount and financing options are also available. Details of the course offered are available here.
