Polish halfshaven head

The Polish halfshaven head (Polish: czupryna, podgolony łeb, łaszczówka) is a traditional Polish noble haircut, associated mainly with sarmatism, but worn by Poles in the Middle Ages too. It is marked by shaving hair above the ears and on the neck on the same height, with longer hair on the top of the head. For hundreds of years it was a typical of Poles.

The origins of the halfshaven head are not clear: today it is impossible to say how old it is. It was worn probably before the 12th century until its slow disappearance in the 18th century. The earliest mentions of the "Polish halfshaven head" from the Middle Ages were written by f. ex., an anonymous Franciscan in 1308, Wincenty from Kielcza (half of 13th century), and Austrian poet Zygfryd Helbling (end of 13th century) who was swearing on Polish and Czech influences. In chronicles of Mierzwa (beginning of 14th century) from Cracow, we can also read that Prince Leszek the Black (died in 1288) grew his hair to ingratiate himself with Germans, so it was a scandal both in his times and in times of chronicle. In graphic sources there are paten (half of 13th century) from Płock cathedral founded by Konrad Mazowiecki, and the paten founded by Mieszko the Old (year 1195) to the monastery of Cistercians in Ląd, and floor from Wiślica (years 1175-1180).

It's possible that not only Poles, but also other Slavs worn a halfshaven head. British franscescan Bartholomeus Anglicus in year 1235 wrote in his encyclopedia, that mostly all the Slavs, except Ruthenians and Slavs mixed with Germans and Latins, shave their heads. Bartholomeus, who lived in Magdeburg from several years know good the Slavic lands. By "Slavic lands" he meant the area from Saxonia to Ruthenia and from Dalmatia, Carinthia and Serbia to the Baltic Sea. About shaven heads, and dislike to beards, wrote also Saxo Grammaticus when writing about the temple of Arcona. He wrote that according to the common custom, only priests could grow long hair and beards. In a Saxon manifesto against Slavic pagans from year 1108 is mentioned that Slavs simulated Saxons during the attack by wearing their scalps - Saxons grew long hair, so Polabian haircut had to be very different: very short. So, the custom of shaving hair, in 13th century recognised as Polish, has to have bigger dimensions. The existence of czupryna amongst the Polabian Slav territories is obviously testified by many archaeological discoveries. Are for example: little bronze statue for Schwedt/Oder (X-11th century),Altfriesack Götze, a wooden statue from Altfriesack (6th-7th century), sitting statue from Gatschow near Demmin (XI-12th century), a little sculpture from Merserburg near Leipzig (10th century). All the figures have short hair and halfshaven heads. There are also a metal fitting from museum in Oldburg and a wooden statue from Wolin (10th century). Because of the corrosion, it is difficult to say if heads are shaven, but the hair are surely short. The most clear proof are the Sachsenspiegel illustrations - all Wends on the illustrations (in contrast with long-haired Saxons) have a short haircut, shaved at the ear-height.

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