How did they shave?

PREHISTORIC TIMES, B.C. -

The history of shaving takes us back into the STONE AGE, around 100,000 B.C. when Neanderthal man first started pulling hair from, painting, and tattooing his body. He also enjoyed filing down his teeth for some reason, too. Ancient cave paintings inspected today will indicate that early man discovered other ways to remove hair from his face; in the beginning, he simply plucked them out using two seashells as tweezers. In fact, tweezers have remained throughout history as the most popular grooming tool ever invented, used by both "civilized" men and women to painfully remove body and facial hair. It's too bad they didn't have Quik Shave Razors back then.

The earliest shaving razors discovered were flint blades made possibly as far back as 30,000 B.C. Flint could provide an extremely sharp edge for shaving; these were, of course, the first disposable shavers because flint becomes dull rather quickly. Not only did early man cut and/or shave off body hair with flint; he also seemed to enjoy carving unusual artistic designs into his skin. If he added natural dyes and colors to these cuts, he ended up with a tattoo. Other stone shaving tools found were made during the Neolithic Period, or Late Stone Age.

4000 - 3000 B.C. -

Women are removing body hair by making their own depilatory creams that contain bizarre combinations of scary ingredients, such as arsenic, quicklime and starch.

3000 B.C. -

Permanent shaving razors are developed, thanks to the invention of metalworking. Copper razors are found available now in both India and Egypt.

1500 - 1200 B.C. -

Some of the most elaborate razors of ancient times are produced during this period in Scandinavia. Excavated from the Danish Mound Graves, razors were found inside their own leather carrying cases with mythological scenes etched or embossed into their bronze blades; the handles were carved into horse head-shapes.

500 B.C. -

In GREECE, it is popular for men to crop hair very short and shave the face. ALEXANDER THE GREAT is pretty much the guy responsible for this trend because he is obsessed with shaving. He even shaves during wartime, and will not allow himself to be seen going into battle with a five o'clock shadow. Greeks back then considered it an aesthetic approach to personal hygiene, like the Middle Eastern cultures.

500 B.C. -

Around this time, ROMAN WOMEN remove hair with razors, pumice stones and make homemade depilatory creams made from medicinal drugs, such as bryonia. They also use tweezers to pluck their eyebrows. ROMAN MEN have a skilled live-in servant to shave them; otherwise they start their day with a trip to the tonsor, or barber, who will shave a face with an iron novacila, or Roman razor. This type of shaver corrodes quickly and becomes blunt; so most customers usually, or eventually, get cut. But don't worry- the tonsor can fix this by applying to the face a soothing plaster made from special perfumed ointment and spider webs soaked in oil and vinegar. Despite the dangers of going to the barbershop, Roman men continue to flock in daily because they are also great centers for gossip and news.

Fire?

Flint .

they would chip pieces of flint until they were sharp like an axe, then grind it across thier face/legs where ever and it would remove the hair.
I saw this on discovery once, if I can find the article about it I will post it here.

My question:

Why did ancient people shave?

Answers I list:
1. Ice age was over, long hairs became nuisance.
.

^JB^ wrote:

My question:

Why did ancient people shave?

Answers I list:
1. Ice age was over, long hairs became nuisance.
.

and so you took a sharpened piece of obsidian and scraped your face with it each day.

Why would you do that?

By 3000 BC, permanent shaving razors are already developed, thanks to the invention of metalworking. (Copper razors are known in both India and Egypt at that time.)

Shewolf, I recall that early American Indian men had no facial nor chest hair.