Barber is a person who cuts or dresses the hair, and shaves or trims the beard, of other people. The term comes from a Latin word meaning beard. In early days, barbers also were surgeons. In England, the two professions were separated by an act passed during the reign of Henry VIII, who ruled during the 1500’s. This act forbade barber-surgeons to do any surgical operation except bloodletting or toothdrawing. Today, very little shaving is done in barber shops, because modern razors allow people to easily shave themselves.
The sign of the barber’s profession is still widely kept. It is a pole with red and white stripes in a spiral around it. These stripes represent the bandage with which the barber wrapped the patient after bloodletting.
The barber’s trade is ancient. Razors have been found among Bronze Age relics. According to legend, Alexander the Great made his soldiers shave regularly so that the enemy could not grasp their beards. Egyptian men had elaborate equipment to beautify the face and hair. Barbershops in Rome and Athens were places of discussion and gossip.
Barbers’ schools teach the trade scientifically today. Courses include lectures on sanitation and the structure of the hair and scalp. The art of arranging and cutting hair is also called hairdressing. Most states require barbers to be licensed. In the United States, many barbers are organized into a labor union.
