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User Name | Thread Name | Subject | Posted |
GUEST,Julia L | Folklore: Tar rubbed in the scalp (37) | RE: Folklore: Tar rubbed in the scalp | 12 May 13 |
Pine tar in the hair deters head lice. Presumably that is why sailors tarred their hair, also perhaps as a form of mousse to keep it out of their eyes.British sailors wore their hair long in a queue (sp)which they would tar, hence the name Jack Tar. I heard a story of a British sailor who was not amused when his tarred braid froze and broke off when going 'round the Horn. American sailors wore their hair short as in a "crew cut". |