The gods of various people,
especially the greater gods, were distinguished by their long
beards and flowing locks. In all pictures Thor and Samson were
both given long hair, and the belief in strength and honor from
long hair is proverbial. Hercules is always pictured with curls.
According to Goldzhier, long locks of hair and a long beard are
mythologic attributes of the sun. The sun's rays are compared to
long locks or hairs on the face of the sun. When the sun sets and
leaves his place to the darkness, or when the powerful summer sun
is succeeded by the weak rays of the winter sun, then Samson's
long locks, through which alone his strength remains, are cut off
by the treachery of his deceitful concubine Delilah (the
languishing, according to the meaning of the name). The beaming
Apollo was, moreover, called the "Unshaven;" and Minos cannot
conquer the solar hero, Nisos, until the latter loses his golden
hair. In Arabic "Shams-on" means the sun, and Samson had seven
locks of hair, the number of the planetary bodies. In view of the
foregoing facts it seems quite possible that the majority of
depilatory processes on the scalp originated in sun-worship, and
through various phases and changes in religions were perpetuated
to the Middle Ages.
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