24.09.2026
Of Tufts and Braids—Stories Told Through Ancient Hair. The exhibition opens on October 16, 2026, at the Art Collections of Antiquity on the university campus.
Hair is a natural part of our appearance and, at the same time, an important means of social and cultural communication. Even in ancient Greece, hair, hairstyles, and hair ornaments were not depicted by chance. They can provide clues about age, gender, social status, and life circumstances; contribute to the characterization of individuals; or indicate membership in a particular group. In the case of gods and mythological beings, they can also play a crucial role in their visual identification.
The exhibition Of Tufts and Braids—Stories of Ancient Hair is dedicated to this aspect of ancient iconography, which is often perceived as merely incidental. Drawing on approximately 30 objects from the Ancient Art Collections of Ruhr University Bochum, it offers diverse perspectives on the depiction of hair and hairstyles in ancient Greece.
The exhibition focuses on the question of what hair can reveal about the people and figures depicted. Different hairstyles, beards, head coverings, and forms of hair ornaments indicate different ages, social roles, and life situations. At the same time, it becomes clear just how meticulously hair and hair ornaments are rendered in ancient visual art. Even the smallest details can be significant for characterizing a figure and open up a new approach to interpreting the objects.
The exhibition was created in collaboration with Constanze Graml, curator of the Collection of Originals and Casts at the University of Trier. Her scholarly exploration of the topic of ancient hair served as an important starting point for the exhibition. The texts she developed on ancient hair, presented in the form of roll-ups, serve as the foundation for exploring the theme within the Art Collections of Antiquity and further developing it through objects from the collection itself.
The selected objects come from various genres and each offers its own perspective on the theme. From depictions of divine and human figures to mythological and demonic beings, and on to various forms of head coverings and hair ornaments, a diverse panorama of ancient depictions of hair and the body emerges.
The exhibition’s theme is also reflected in its design: a red braid runs as a “common thread” through the exhibition spaces, connecting the individual stations. It picks up on the exhibition’s central motif while simultaneously creating a visual link between the various objects and thematic areas.
The exhibition invites visitors to focus on the seemingly minor details of ancient depictions and to rediscover the significance of hair as an element of visual communication. “Of Tufts and Braids—Stories Told Through Ancient Hair” demonstrates that hairstyles, hair ornaments, and depictions of the body reveal not only aesthetic ideals but also the social and cultural structures of antiquity.
The exhibition was curated by Claire J. Dohmen and Philipp P. Wendt and supported by the Friends of Ancient Art Association of the Art Collections of Ruhr University Bochum.
Location: Art Collections of Antiquity, Ruhr University Bochum
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
For more information about our exhibitions and a behind-the-scenes look at the museum’s work, visit our Instagram channel @kunstsammlungenantike
Of Tufts and Braids—Stories Told Through Ancient Hair. The exhibition opens on October 16, 2026, at the Art Collections of Antiquity on the university campus.
Hair is a natural part of our appearance and, at the same time, an important means of social and cultural communication. Even in ancient Greece, hair, hairstyles, and hair ornaments were not depicted by chance. They can provide clues about age, gender, social status, and life circumstances; contribute to the characterization of individuals; or indicate membership in a particular group. In the case of gods and mythological beings, they can also play a crucial role in their visual identification.
The exhibition Of Tufts and Braids—Stories of Ancient Hair is dedicated to this aspect of ancient iconography, which is often perceived as merely incidental. Drawing on approximately 30 objects from the Ancient Art Collections of Ruhr University Bochum, it offers diverse perspectives on the depiction of hair and hairstyles in ancient Greece.
The exhibition focuses on the question of what hair can reveal about the people and figures depicted. Different hairstyles, beards, head coverings, and forms of hair ornaments indicate different ages, social roles, and life situations. At the same time, it becomes clear just how meticulously hair and hair ornaments are rendered in ancient visual art. Even the smallest details can be significant for characterizing a figure and open up a new approach to interpreting the objects.
The exhibition was created in collaboration with Constanze Graml, curator of the Collection of Originals and Casts at the University of Trier. Her scholarly exploration of the topic of ancient hair served as an important starting point for the exhibition. The texts she developed on ancient hair, presented in the form of roll-ups, serve as the foundation for exploring the theme within the Art Collections of Antiquity and further developing it through objects from the collection itself.
The selected objects come from various genres and each offers its own perspective on the theme. From depictions of divine and human figures to mythological and demonic beings, and on to various forms of head coverings and hair ornaments, a diverse panorama of ancient depictions of hair and the body emerges.
The exhibition’s theme is also reflected in its design: a red braid runs as a “common thread” through the exhibition spaces, connecting the individual stations. It picks up on the exhibition’s central motif while simultaneously creating a visual link between the various objects and thematic areas.
The exhibition invites visitors to focus on the seemingly minor details of ancient depictions and to rediscover the significance of hair as an element of visual communication. “Of Tufts and Braids—Stories Told Through Ancient Hair” demonstrates that hairstyles, hair ornaments, and depictions of the body reveal not only aesthetic ideals but also the social and cultural structures of antiquity.
The exhibition was curated by Claire J. Dohmen and Philipp P. Wendt and supported by the Friends of Ancient Art Association of the Art Collections of Ruhr University Bochum.
Location: Art Collections of Antiquity, Ruhr University Bochum
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
For more information about our exhibitions and a behind-the-scenes look at the museum’s work, visit our Instagram channel @kunstsammlungenantike
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Last update: Sep 24, 2026
