When your mother, wife, or sister next dries her hair by putting it up in a towel, remind her that she is following in the footsteps of great Egyptian pharaohs.

Kara exhibits the Nile hair drying technique – a common technique for wet-headed pharaohs.

Pharaohs often wore a style of headdress called the Nemes, which was easily confused with the Nile hair-drying technique. The Nemes was often a striped headcloth that extended from the top of the head to the bottom of the neck. It’s purpose was more decorational than practical.

The first documented use of the Nemes dates back to 3100 B.C. Hair drying headclothes didn’t become popular until 1550 B.C. when Ahmose I was the ruler of Egypt. He was often seen at the Nile washing once a week as part of a religious ritual. Once he left the water of the Nile, he would take a headdress out of his chariot and then put up his hair in a towel pattern that became known as the Nile. 

History is fascinating in that actions and traditions from thousands of years ago are still being replicated today. The Nile dries hair just as well today as it did centuries ago. Remember that the next time your resident female steps out of the bathroom after a shower.