Less than 2% of the population consists of redheads. Throughout history they have been worshiped, idealized, fetishized, feared and condemned. We asked Rachael Gibson, a redhead historian, to point out the most intriguing moments in the history of ginger hair (another way of describing redheads), and to recommend some books, if you choose to do further research. Whether you're a redhead, know a redhead, or are just an enthusiast, this article has what you're looking for!
Surprising facts about redheads beyond the MC1R gene that you need to know
Throughout history, red hair has been associated with evil; vampires, witches and outsiders were traditionally always depicted with red hair. There are numerous reasons for this, including the fact that having red hair is incredibly rare (less than 2%, remember?), and that society is generally suspicious of anything "different," especially if it is so striking and eye-catching. Some scholars also trace this fear/aversion to red hair to the belief that Judas, who betrayed Jesus in the Bible, had red hair. Culturally, it is often assumed that anyone with red hair has a short temper and a boisterous personality.
And yet, not every society had a negative view of red hair; in Italy and Greece it was historically considered very popular – perhaps because of its rarity in these parts of the world. Looking through history, we discover that henna has been used since ancient times to create red hair and was very popular in ancient Egypt and the Middle East. In Elizabethan England, red hair was very popular, thanks to Elizabeth I's natural red hair, and many men and women dyed their hair red to show loyalty. In the 16th century, the popularity of Tiziano Vecelli, as he was known in English, Titian's art also sparked a trend toward red hair, with Italian women using ingredients including saffron and rhubarb to achieve the color.
In ancient Greek myths, redheads were said to turn into vampires after death, and during the 16th and 17th centuries, most women branded as witches had red hair. It is estimated that some 45,000 red-haired women were burned as witches during the trials, which is a significant portion of the population. I repeat: this was probably because red hair is so rare, you stand out from the crowd and therefore are bad. Even before the witch trials, artwork from the 15th century depicted witches with red hair.
