National Geographic Interactive - 02.2020

SOURCES (ART): 2) “FONSECA BUST,” CAPITOLINE MUSEUMS, ROME; 4) “FEMALE DANCER,” XINJIANG UYGUR

AUTONOMOUS REGION MUSEUM; 5) “PORTRAIT OF A LADY,” ROGIER VAN DER WEYDEN, NATIONAL

GALLERY OF ART, WASHINGTON, D.C.; 7) “LADIES AROUND A SAMOVAR,” ISMA’IL JALAYIR, VICTORIA AND

ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON; 8) “PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN,” METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK

Marked by

Beauty

ANCIENT EGYPT

3100-30 B.C.

1. DRAMATIC COSMETICS
   Heavy eye makeup, typi-
   cally kohl, was worn by both
   sexes to darken and contour
   eyelids and for religious and
   medicinal purposes. The dark
   mineral was thought to pre-
   vent eye infections and ward
   off evil and could be com-
   plemented with green eyelid
   accents. Curled or braided
   wigs were also popular.

ANCIENT ROMLATE FIRST CENTURY A.D.E

2. HEIGHTENED HAIRDOS
   Rome’s social elite embraced
   increasingly elaborate hair-
   styles during the early impe-
   rial period. Slaves helped
   women curl their hair with
   a calamistrum (a curling iron
   heated in hot coals). Com-
   plicated styles could take
   an ornatrix (hairdresser)
   hours to produce, with
   wigs or hairpieces added.

CLASSIC MA.D. 250-900AYA

3. MAYA MODIFICATION
   Infant heads were reshaped
   by binding boards to the skull
   to produce an elongated
   look. It’s believed the Maya
   did so to emulate their maize
   god, whose head was shaped
   like an ear of corn. They also
   modified their teeth by filing
   them and embedding stones,
   such as jade, as a way to mark
   the transition to adulthood.

TANG DYNASTY, CHINA618-907

4. IMITATION OF NATURE
   Tang women painted red,
   black, and yellow beauty
   marks on the forehead
   and cheeks in the shape of
   flowers, insects, and other
   designs to hide blemishes
   or imperfections. Natural
   eyebrows were plucked and
   painted in a variety of dra-
   matic contours; lips were
   artfully defined to resemble
   flower petals.

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