When did they start that? (3)

Posted by DrMajolica on Thu 11 Dec 08, 12:12 AM to DrMajolica's blog.

I noted with some amusement a tale on Boris Johnson's "After Rome" tv program, that Crusaders seeing muslim barbers carrying out the equivalent of a Brazilian wax on women, had them do the same to their wives. Albeit rather embarrassingly publicly, much to the bemusement of said muslim barbers.

It made me wonder when this practise first started. Any historians throw some light on it?

Replies

11 Dec 08, 12:31 AM
Illuminated
UK, 3 yrs

It's anecdotal stuff from the aftermath of the first crusade I think , later crusades mostly brought back failure and frustration, knights returning from Ausremer (or the holy land as they saw their new terrtories there) saw a lot of things which they remarked upon on their homecomings, theres also anecdotal stories of them having seen Arab armies with drummers and dancers and of supposed invulnerability to lances and so on amongst the dancers. This is said to have influenced some that came back to try and copy those dancers and it;s one of the nice little stories about how Morris Dancing began. it having origionally called Moorish Dancing. Could just be rumour, but it's a nice story.

11 Dec 08, 12:36 AM
elleb_stard
4 yrs

Nysalor wrote:
It's anecdotal stuff from the aftermath of the first crusade I think , later crusades mostly brought back failure and frustration, knights returning from Ausremer (or the holy land as they saw their new terrtories there) saw a lot of things which they remarked upon on their homecomings, theres also anecdotal stories of them having seen Arab armies with drummers and dancers and of supposed invulnerability to lances and so on amongst the dancers. This is said to have influenced some that came back to try and copy those dancers and it;s one of the nice little stories about how Morris Dancing began. it having origionally called Moorish Dancing. Could just be rumour, but it's a nice story.

It's interesting you bring that up... in bellydancing and also the middle eastern dance that I saw when I lived in Oman, there is a dance done with sticks (if you're a woman... SWORDS if you're a man/hardcore!) called Saiidi (or Tahib, or Assaya)... which again is similar to Morris dancing.

See here: http://www.worldbellydance.com/dancing-with-stic...

Many of my friends who are archaeologists and such like have also heard this theory.

There's even a fantastic troupe of bellydancers in Yorkshire called the 400 Roses who mix traditional morris/folk dance with tribal bellydance too... which is bizarre in description, but truly brilliant and moving to watch.

12 Dec 08, 5:36 PM
elleb_stard
4 yrs

Further to this - my friend posted a new link to a arabian Dance video montage she was in... at about 1min45, there is a great example of dancing with sticks by men...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0kv-VnkuxSA