Barbershops are hairdressing salons that take care of the beard as well as the hair. But what is the red, white and blue post all about?
Munich – Barbershops can now be found everywhere. The hair salon, specializing in men, is a real experience for some. But have you ever noticed the red, white and blue striped post in front of the salon? The post is called “Barberpole” or in German barber’s post. But why are there these posts and what is it all about? Its origin is a bloody affair.
Hairdressing salons: What do the striped posts at the barber mean?
The history of the barber’s post goes far back into the Middle Ages. Back then, people went to the barber not only for a fresh haircut, but also for medical procedures. Bloodletting in particular could be carried out at many hairdressers. This was a common technique in which the vein was cut open to drain blood. Bloodletting was a common treatment to cure ailments ranging from a sore throat to the plague. The procedure was usually performed by monks. Barbers assisted them as they knew how to use sharp tools.
In 1163, Pope Alexander III forbade the clergy to carry out the intervention. The practice became too low-threshold for the clergy as they were needed for other more complex tasks. Therefore, the hairdressers and barbers took over the bloodletting. Many a barber even became a dentist and pulled his customers’ teeth. In the 19th century, bloodletting fell out of favor among medical professionals. Today, doctors only use this practice on very rare occasions.
The Barber Post: Sign of Bloodletting – Blood and bandages encase the post
The barber post is a sign of bloodletting. The red stands for the blood, the white for the bandages that stop the bleeding. The post is a pole that patients had to grip tightly to make the veins more prominent. Some others suspect that the bandages were hung around the post. The wind wrapped them around the pole. This is how the barber post we know today came about.
Traditional barber posts in Europe are red and white only. In the USA these are often red, white and blue. Two theories explain the difference. One says that the blue should symbolize the veins. They had to be cut open to let the blood out. The other theory interprets the blue of the post as a nod to the US flag.
Barber pole: “Barber pole illusion” one of the most well-known movement illusions
The next time you walk past a barbershop and see the post, you’ll be able to take a closer look. Because when the pole rotates, it is a so-called “barber pole illusion”. This is a very popular movement illusion. As the barber post rotates, it feels like the stripes are disappearing up or down.
For many people, a visit to the hairdresser is a luxury and not everyone can afford a haircut. But a hairdresser from Munich offers pensioners a free service.
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