How a Hairdresser from Baltimore Solved an Archaeology Mystery

What she Figured Out about Ancient Roman Hairdos

Wealthy women in ancient Rome sported elaborate hairdos, such as this one, which Ms. Stephens describes as a “mullet from hell” (source: Tetraktys/ Wikimedia Commons)

First, a little back story: One of the most prestigious and cushy career paths for women of the ancient world was the job of Vestal Virgin, in Ancient Rome.

One downside? The job was probably a little dull. Your only duties were to be sure the holy flame of the goddess Vesta’s temple didn’t go out. That, plus you weren’t allowed to have sex while you remained on the payroll. If you did, and were caught, you faced the deeply unpleasant prospect of being walled up with a day or so’s worth of food and water, a bed, and a lamp. (Your blood was sacred, and couldn’t be spilled, so entombment was the preferred mode of execution.)

But there were tremendous upsides to the job. If you were lucky enough to be chosen (while still a very young girl, between the ages of about three and ten), your parents would be thrilled. They’d have bragging rights modern-day Ivy League parents could only dream about. And you and five other vestals enjoyed privileges far exceeding those of any other women in ancient Rome. It was like winning the Golden Ticket. You lived in luxury at the public’s expense. You didn’t have to answer to your father. You could conduct business in your own name, and make your own will. You could ride through Rome in a wheeled carriage. Even…