Ancient Indian Costume c7.s2: Headgear and Hairstyles: Men
Ancient Indian Costume c7.s2
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Headgear and Hairstyles: Men
c7.s2.1
Men continued to wear the turban, now called *mauli*, as in the Mauryan-Sunga period. However, a simpler line of twisted rolls of the fabric itself is more in evidence with hardly any of the complications of intertwining the hair with the turban cloth. The knob at the centre or side of the head around which the turban was wound to form a large protuberance, slowly disappeared. When bare-headed, the hair was worn in a top knot or in the shape of a bow, often softened by curls on the forehead or at the nape especially in the north-west. Fillets or bands tied on the forehead were common. Young men had begun to cut their hair short and adopted a short-skirted tunic with their *antariya*. The Scythian pointed cap was frequently used as was the crown or *mukuta*. The common man moved around bare-headed or used his *kayabandh* or *uttariya* to form a casual turban on the head against the sun in almost the same way as is seen today in India.
c7.s2.2
In relation to the Mauryan–Sunga period, we notice a tendency towards greater refinement and simplicity in this period. Gold was much in use and was called *hiranya* and *suvarna*, silver was known as *rupya*, and copper as *tamra*, and these continued to be used for making jewellery. Gold and silver were often encrusted with *ratna* or jewels. These included cornelians, agates, lapis-lazuli, amethysts, garnets, coral, and pearls. Sapphires, topaz, diamonds and cat's-eyes were embedded or sometimes strung in various ways and worn as ornaments.
c7.s2.3
Besides this, the art of enamelling was known, as well as inlay work in shell and mother-of-pearl. Gold beads were beautifully filigreed or filled with lac, while others had cores of jasper and turquoise paste and were strung on thread or wire to be worn as short necklaces called *kantha*, or long ones worn between the breasts known as *hara*. Stringing coins to be worn as necklaces, called *nishka*, was in vogue. The torque, a simple necklace of gold wire, was worn by foreigners. It was a characteristic ornament of the Scythian and Celtic people and was worn as a mark of distinction by the Persian and Parthians, all of whom were of the same stock, as were the Sakas and Kushans. Shell and terracotta beads continued to be strung and worn by the poorer classes.
c7.s2.4
The earrings, *kundala*, were of three types and most often of gold though there is evidence of ivory ones as well. The pendant type often had decorative rosettes and granulation. The ring type, Scythian in origin, could be simple with a gold wire wound around or a mixture of both types, that is, a ring elaborately decorated with beads as well as bud-like pendants. Of these, the simpler kind was used by men, except for foreigners who are depicted as wearing none. Armlets were known as *keyura* and bracelets as *valaya*. These were worn by both men and women. Those for women were often made of thick or thin sheets of gold with hinged clasps, and elaborately ornamented and inlaid. Simple bangles of glass, shell, or ivory were also used.
c7.s2.5
Head ornaments were varied. As the turbans and head veils of women went out of fashion they were replaced by a bejewelled diadem or crown called *mukuta*, or a simple fillet or head band called *opasa*. These were used in addition to the garlands of flowers, *sraja*, which remained popular. Hair was held up by gold or silver hairpins with attractively ornamented heads. Men continued to wear the *mauli* (turban). The *mekhala* or girdle was mainly of beads and, along with the *nupura* or anklet, was worn only by women. This was simpler and lighter than that in the previous period. There is an absence of forehead ornaments like the *sitara* and *bindi* of the Mauryan-Sunga period.
c7.s2.6
Finger rings were of solid gold, some plain, others incised with tiny figures. Ivory was used extensively to make combs, brooches, hairpins, boxes, and other objects.