5 Ancient Civilizations That Wore Dreadlocks: Unraveling The True Origin Of Locs

The question of "where did dreadlocks originate" is one of the most fascinating and complex inquiries in hair history, and the answer, as of late 2025, is far more expansive than most people realize. While modern pop culture has heavily associated the hairstyle with the Rastafari movement in Jamaica, the style itself—known as locs, dreads, or twisted locks—is not tied to a single culture or continent. Instead, it is an ancient, universal phenomenon that emerged independently across the globe, serving powerful spiritual, social, and political functions for millennia.

Recent historical research confirms that dreadlocks are as old as human civilization itself, with evidence pointing to multiple origins spanning back thousands of years. From the frozen tundras of Europe to the deserts of Africa and the sacred mountains of India, the natural coiling and matting of hair has been embraced by priests, warriors, royalty, and ascetics long before the term "dreadlocks" was ever coined.

The Global Timeline: Key Entities and Independent Origins of Locs

To truly understand the origin of locs, we must look beyond a single point on the map and explore a global timeline. The style is not a cultural borrowing but a natural human expression, making its appearance in numerous ancient societies without apparent connection. This list highlights the most significant and well-documented ancient origins.

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1. Ancient India: The Earliest Written Record (c. 1800–1500 BCE)

The earliest documented evidence of the style comes from the Indian subcontinent. This origin is deeply rooted in religious and ascetic practices.

• The Vedas: The oldest written references to matted, coiled hair are found in the Hindu holy scriptures known as The Vedas, which date back to approximately 1500 BCE.
• Lord Shiva: In Hinduism, the deity Lord Shiva, the Destroyer and Transformer, is famously depicted with long, matted, coiled hair called Jaṭā. This association solidifies the style's spiritual significance, representing a connection to the divine and the natural world.
• Sadhus and Sannyasis: For centuries, Hindu holy men, known as Sadhus or Sannyasis, have worn locs as a symbol of their renunciation of the material world and their dedication to spiritual life. These ascetics often wear their hair coiled atop their heads, reflecting the style of Lord Shiva.

2. Ancient Egypt: The Pharaohs’ Style (c. 2500 BCE)

Perhaps the most striking physical evidence of ancient locs comes from the tombs of Ancient Egypt, predating the written records of India in some instances.

• Mummy Discoveries: Anthropologists have discovered Egyptian mummies dating back thousands of years—some as far back as 2500 BCE—with their hair still intact and styled in locs.
• Royal and Divine Symbolism: It is widely believed that Egyptian Pharaohs and royalty, including figures associated with the gods, wore locs. The style represented a level of status, power, and connection to the divine.
• Materials: The locs found on these ancient remains were sometimes created using a combination of the person's natural hair and extensions, fixed with a resin or fat.

3. Africa: Maasai Warriors and Ethiopian Priests

The African continent is home to numerous independent origins of locs, with the style holding profound cultural and spiritual weight across various tribes and kingdoms.

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• Maasai Tribe: In East Africa, the Maasai warriors are famed for their distinctive red-dyed locs, which they often achieve using red ochre. For the Maasai, the style is a sign of passage, strength, and their warrior status.
• Wolof People: In West Africa, specifically Senegal, the Wolof people have a history of kings and the Tiedo warrior class wearing locs, signifying their authority and power.
• Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church: Priests and devotees of this ancient Christian denomination have worn locs for centuries. The style is often linked to the Old Testament's Nazarite Vow, which includes the command not to cut one's hair. This is one of the oldest historical records of an African tribe wearing locs.

4. Pre-Columbian and Mesoamerican Cultures

The style was not confined to the Afro-Eurasian landmass. Evidence shows that locs were a feature in the indigenous cultures of the Americas.

• Mesoamerican People: Historical accounts confirm that a Mesoamerican people wore dreadlocks between the 14th and 16th centuries in what is now Mexico.
• Shamanism: In pre-Columbian America, as well as in Oceania and parts of Africa, the wearing of locs was often linked to shamanism, suggesting a connection to spiritual leaders, healers, and those who communicated with the spirit world.

5. Oceania and Europe: Māori Warriors and Early Celts

The universality of locs is further demonstrated by their presence in the distant corners of the world, highlighting the natural tendency of hair to form locks when left uncut and uncombed.

• Māori Warriors: The indigenous Māori people of New Zealand traditionally wore their hair in various styles, including locs, which were a part of their warrior aesthetic and cultural identity.
• Early European Tribes: Though less commonly cited, there is historical and archaeological evidence suggesting that early Germanic tribes, Vikings, and even some ancient Celts may have worn their hair in matted or locked styles. These styles were often achieved through a combination of neglect, environmental factors, and intentional matting for battle or cultural reasons.

The Modern Era: Dreadlocks and the Rastafari Movement

While the style is ancient, its modern global popularization is inextricably linked to the Rastafari movement, which began in Jamaica in the 1930s. The Rastafari adopted locs as a powerful socio-political and spiritual statement.

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• Spiritual Significance: For Rastafarians, locs symbolize a break from the Western system—often referred to as "Babylon"—and a commitment to the natural, African way of life. Like the Ethiopian priests, the style is often tied to the Nazarite Vow mentioned in the Old Testament.
• The Name "Dreadlocks": The term "dreadlocks" is widely believed to have originated from the Rastafari movement itself. Early Jamaican society viewed the hairstyle of the first Rastafari adherents with fear and derision, calling the style "dreadful," which eventually evolved into "dreadlocks."
• Global Icon: The worldwide success of reggae music and its most famous proponent, Bob Marley, in the 1970s and 80s, cemented the image of locs in the global consciousness. Marley's conversion to Rastafarianism and his subsequent fame propelled the hairstyle into a symbol of rebellion, spirituality, and cultural pride across the world.

The Enduring Cultural Significance and Topical Authority of Locs

Today, the discussion surrounding locs often involves cultural appropriation and the politics of hair. However, understanding the deep, global, and independent origins of the style is crucial to appreciating its topical authority and cultural significance.

The history of locs is a testament to the universality of human spirituality and cultural expression. The hairstyle has consistently been a symbol of:

• Spiritual Devotion: Seen in Hindu Sadhus and Buddhist monks, symbolizing asceticism and detachment.
• Warrior Status: Worn by Maasai warriors and Māori fighters, representing strength, ferocity, and rites of passage.
• Royal Power: Adopted by Egyptian Pharaohs and Wolof kings, signifying authority and a connection to the divine.
• Rebellion and Identity: Embraced by the Rastafari movement as a rejection of colonial and Western norms.

Ultimately, while the Rastafari movement gave the style its modern name and global visibility, the ancient origins of locs are a shared heritage, spanning Ancient India's Vedas and Lord Shiva, the mummies of Ancient Egypt, and the Maasai tribes of Africa. The journey of the dreadlock is not a single river, but a vast, interconnected ocean of human history.