Ancient People Dressed Baby Boys In Blue To Ward Off Evil Spirits
Conny Waters - AncientPages.com - The colors pink and blue have been used as gender signifiers for quite some time now. We are so used today to baby boys dressed in blue that we rarely think about why this color was chosen for newborn males. We also tend to forget that boys were dressed in pink not so long ago.
Some modern parents who dislike stereotypes disregard this unwritten rule and dress their kids in any color they want, but many try to follow old customs.
As a matter of fact, just before the 1920s, pink was considered the best color for boys.
Left: Egyptian blue crown symbolizes military power held by the pharaoh during military battles. Credit: globalegyptianmuseum.org Right: Baby boy dressed in blue. Credit: Public Domain
According to a June 1918 article from the trade publication Earnshaw's Infants' Department, “the generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl.”
This changed later, and people started dressing their baby boys in blue, something our ancestors did thousands of years ago.
Ancient People Used Blue Color To Ward Off Evil Spirits
In ancient Egypt and Greece, blue color was used to protect a person or a place from evil spirits. Pharaohs were often dressed in blue. Egyptians and many other ancient civilizations considered blue color to be of divine origin.
It’s therefore not surprising that the blue color was specifically chosen by our ancestors who wanted to protect their newborn from evil spirits that might be lurking about.
This ancient tradition is still alive and there are many places in the Mideast where people still paint their doorways to ward off evil spirits.
“Centuries ago, it was commonly believed that satanic spirits hovered about nurseries waiting for a chance to enter the bodies of young children. It was also believed that these evil spirits could be repelled by the color blue, the color of the heavens.” (Smith, Douglas B.. Ever Wonder Why?)
To many of us, it may seem odd that newborn girls were not dressed in blue too, but back then, baby boys were more precious than baby girls. Parents considered girls to be inferior, and it was assumed that evil spirits would not bother with them. Ancient people could dress baby girls in any color, but small boys must be dressed in blue to protect them from these harmful evil powers.
Blue Color Is Still Believed To Protect From Evil Powers
Today, many people still fear the Evil Eye, a harmful power that comes from emotions such as envy or greed.
In many countries, one can easily buy various amulets that shield its bearer from the curse of the Evil Eye. One of the most famous symbols protecting against the Evil Eye is called Hamsa, a universal symbol is that especially popular among Jews and Muslims.
Nazar amulets that offer protection against the Evil Eye are especially popular in Turkey, but they can also be found in other countries.
“In Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Armenia, Iran, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and Azerbaijan, Nazar is often hung in homes, offices, cars, children's clothing, or incorporated in jewelry and ornaments.“
The blue color in these protective amulets is still of special importance because it is widely regarded as warding off evil powers.
Updated on September 3, 2023
Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
Copyright © AncientPages.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of AncientPages.com
Expand for referencesBarbara Berliner, Melinda Corey, George - Book of Answers
Smith, Douglas B. - Ever Wonder Why?
More From Ancient Pages
-
3,000-Year-Old Egyptian Artificial Wooden Toe In New Light
Archaeology | Jun 20, 2017 -
Ancient Maya Drug Containers – Scientists Identified What’s Inside
Archaeology | Jan 16, 2021 -
Sunken 18th-Century British Warship HMS Tyger Found In The Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Archaeology | Mar 19, 2024 -
Why Do Native Americans Often Wear Long Hair?
Ancient History Facts | Sep 19, 2019 -
Has The Legendary Viking Stronghold Jomsborg Finally Been Found?
Archaeology | Jun 3, 2023 -
Scientists Investigate – Did The Human Brain Shrink 3,000 Years Ago?
Human Beginnings | Aug 6, 2022 -
Stunning Gold Jewelry And Artifacts From The Time Of Nefertiti Found In Bronze Age Tombs In Cyprus
Archaeology | Dec 2, 2021 -
Ancient Great City Of Napata In The Kingdom Of Kush
Civilizations | Dec 30, 2015 -
Eating And Social Habits Of People In The Balearic Islands 3,000 Years Ago – Reconstructed
Archaeology | Jan 18, 2023 -
Evidence Of Cosmic Catastrophe 12,800 Years Ago – Earth Collided With Fragments Of A Comet
Archaeology | Feb 2, 2018 -
On This Day In History: King Alexander II Was Crowned At Scone, Scotland – On Dec 6, 1214
News | Dec 6, 2016 -
Mystery Of The Tomb Of Nestor’s Cup Unraveled
Archaeology | Oct 6, 2021 -
Strange Case Of The Italian Doppelganger – Collision Of Parallel Timelines? Part 2
Featured Stories | Oct 16, 2019 -
Secrets Of Ninja Swords – Favorite Weapon Of The Shinobi
Featured Stories | Aug 13, 2018 -
Return Of Pahana – The Lost White Brother Of The Hopi And The Sacred Tablet
Myths & Legends | Mar 5, 2018 -
Surya: Hindu Sun God Who Illuminates The World, Our Lives And Disperses Darkness, Destroys Diseases, And Enemies
Featured Stories | Dec 1, 2020 -
Neanderthals And Modern Humans Diverged At Least 800,000 Years Ago
Archaeology | May 17, 2019 -
Magnificent Ancient Egyptian Gold And Soapstone Jewelry Discovered At Tell El-Amarna Necropolis
Archaeology | Dec 18, 2022 -
Ancient Mystery Of Italy’s Long-Lost Civilization That Pre-Dates The Ancient Roman Empire And Other Great Old Cultures
Civilizations | Mar 29, 2019 -
Tiresias – Unusual Prophet Who Turned Into A Woman For Seven Years
Featured Stories | May 16, 2020