A barber pole, barber pole or barber pole is a type of sign used by hairdressers and barbers to advertise their business to the public. These iconic symbols can still be seen today, but what exactly is their origin?
Traditional symbol
The traditional symbol, which dates back to the Middle Ages, consists of a staff or pole with a helix (spiral) of red and white stripes. Although the pole used to be static, nowadays you often find them rotating thanks to electric motors. In some areas, the use of a hairdressing pole has even been made mandatory by the local government.
Bloodletting
The origin of the red and white colored barber pole is linked to bloodletting, a practice often performed by barbers. Bloodletting was a medical practice of draining blood from a patient’s vein, often performed to treat perceived imbalances in the body. The stake historically symbolizes the bloody bandage that was washed and hung to dry after bloodletting, causing it to become tangled together in the wind. During the Middle Ages, barbers also performed surgical tasks, including bloodletting and tooth extraction. You can’t imagine that now, can you?
Symbolism of the pole
The original post contained a sink (representative of where leeches were kept, which later came into wide use) and a basin at the bottom that collected the blood. The pole itself represents the staff that the patient grasped during the procedure to promote blood flow.
Blue-white-colored barber pole
After the founding of the United Barber Surgeon’s Company in London, England, it was determined that barbers had to use a blue-and-white-colored pole, while surgeons had to use a red pole.
Tags: Health history origin Kapperspaal
