Meritβs Wig
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, ca. 1425-1353 B.C. From the Tomb of Kha and Merit (TT8), Deir el-Medina. Museo Egizio, Turin, Italy. Suppl. 8499
β« Merit was the wife of the foreman Kha, and the couple both resided in the Workerβs Village of Deir el-Medina (Set Maβat) and were buried together in the local necropolis within Theban Tomb 8 (TT8). Made of human hair that has been curled and/or tousled into a thick headdress of dark brown to black hair with lighter hair at the parting, the wig is held together by sewing the hair into a mesh which would rest upon the wearers scalp, the mesh is still visible through the middle part of the wigβs hairstyle.
The tresses of curls come to a tightly twisted or curled end around the sides and looser curls upon the back, this could be due to the passage of time untwining the curls and/or plaits, or simply the intended style. Also, still intact are a set of larger plaits or braids falling down the back of the wig. While being worn, one could assume the hair would have been slightly past shoulder-length, caressing the bust.
The wig could have been worn in daily life, or special events and religious rituals. The wig could also have been adorned with decorations such as real floral garlands, diadems of varied materials, individual hair jewels, and a perfume cone atop of the head, which is thought to have caused a delicious scent upon the wig. It is not documented if the piece is scented or not, but tests showed that the tips of the hair are coated in plant oil/balsam.
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