Words Dolore O’Donoghue
Throughout the course of history, men have grown and styled their facial hair, whether for the sake of vanity, cultural/religious traditions, or to follow the era’s fashion trend. Mug rugs have enjoyed a major resurgence in recent times. Their popularity has soared with top athletes, popular actors and musicians sporting all sorts of facial fuzz, from the meticulously groomed to the downright unkempt and scruffy. Here are some strange beard facts that might surprise even the most knowledgeable beardos!
Excuse me sir – have you made your tax return?
Henry VIII of England introduced a beard tax in 1531. It was a graduated tax that increased with the wearer’s social position, which made facial hair a status symbol. In 1698, Russian Emperor, Peter the Great also introduced a beard tax to bring society into line with European culture, where men were usually clean shaven. Resistance was widespread and bearded men were obliged to carry a copper or bronze token to show they had paid the tax.
How does your beard measure up to the competition?
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the beard of Hans N. Langseth, who died in North Dakota in 1927, is the longest beard in the world. Measuring 17 feet 6 inches, it is kept in storage at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.
Can you trust a man with a beard?
Pogonophobia means an exceptional dread of or aversion to facial hair. The word is derived from Greek pogon (beard) and phobos (fear). This may be due to the myth that people who have facial hair are ‘trying to hide something’ and therefore, represent some sort of ‘threat’. The good news is that sufferers who avail of psychological therapy find it helps enormously.
Have you ever thought of becoming a beard scholar?
Yes – there is such a thing! Allan Peterkin is a pogonologist (beard scholar) and psychiatrist and the author of numerous books, including One Thousand Beards and A Cultural History of Facial Hair.
Safety and Risk Assessment – the potential hazards of facial hair in war
Alexander the Great observed that beards could be easily grabbed by the enemy during battle and insisted his troops fight with clean-shaven faces. He feared that his men could be pulled off their horses by the beard or it would serve as a handle for the enemy to hold a soldier as he was killed.
- ‘On the chin: Beard facts’ is published in Anthology Volume 14. Read more features from this volume or buy it now.
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