Did hot women exist 2,000 years ago?

planck

Yes, the title is meant to be titillating to get you to click.

But since you're here, let's discuss because I think this is an interesting sociological question. As of 2010, men will generally find the "36-24-36-swimsuit-fitness model" the paradigmatic magazine beauty.



But how much of that is that because of sociological programming. Do I find these women attractive because I was reared that way?

More importantly, did these type of women exist in the past? Think about makeup, cosmetic lotions, hairstyling, and even modern methods of plastic surgery.

Obviously plastic surgery is extremely modern and drastic. So nothing like that would be accessible to ancient women. But something as simple as shaving legs and underarms. I highly doubt that type of clean shaven look was sported by anyone back then.

And even the modern female body type. If you look at women (or pictures of at least) a mere 50 years ago, they were more voluptuous and fuller figured. The "athletic" body-type is a modern conception. But it's fairly drastic in terms of change.

My basic point is that so much has changed in terms of female image. They say that Cleopatra was gorgeous, but if we went back to that time--how gorgeous was she really?

From an evolutionary standpoint, were men solely interested in someone who appeared fertile? Did any sort of aesthetic beauty come into play when making a choice. And it extends to the BC era too.

Borek

Don't be too sure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glabrou...her_influences

Wikipedia is not the best source, but I have no time to look for a better source at the moment. I am almost sure I have read a line like "waiting for him with the freshly depilated mons" (at least that how it was translated to Polish) in some ancient poem or comedy. Could be it was Lysistrata, could be it was not. But the idea is not that new.

radou

I wonder how wet bikini contests looked 2,000 years ago.

thephysicsman

Obviously some men were of that opinion, otherwise we wouldn't be here to conduct this discussion.

WhoWee

To be fair - what do you think guys smelled like 2,000 years ago?

planck

That is interesting.

But, I think we need to know how depilation was viewed back then. Was it seen as something aesthetically pleasing. And how widespread was it, did all the women do it. But more importantly, how much did they want to do it.

Because I was always under the impression that female depilation was a more recent phenomenon.

This wasn't the exact article that I read, but I recall the campaign to shave legs and armpits beginning in the 1920's or 30's:

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/...-and-underarms

planck

Yes, obviously. But how much of that was primal and just utilitarian? IE, what did men look for in prehistoric women. How did they discern and choose from the pool?

How much of it was just based on evolutionary instincts. For example, I was reading an article about female pubic hair and one reason for its function. Supposedly, it trapped the "scent" of that region--containing it in that area. Pheromone type utility? maybe?


Most probably like Acqua Di Gio........and meat.

In all seriousness though, women actually like the male "stench." I remember reading something about that.

It must go back to the pre-homosapien era. Look at this article:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/l...ow/4998335.cms


I don't know. Was spring break invented yet?

WhoWee

Androstadienone aside, both sexes would have been groomed a little differently than we're accustomed to today. Long and greasy hair, dirt, blood, and sweat might have been the norm?

Subductionzon

I suppose it would have a lot to do with the class of the people involved. The upper class definitely believed in recreational sex, and were not adverse to bathing, or shaving, in many old cultures. And I seriously doubt that many members here are involved with ladies as can be seen in the OP's picture. If they were they would have better things to do than to post here. "Hotness" is a concept that has existed much longer than people think. Just read an unexpurgated version of the Song of Solomon. And most versions are tamed down a bit, it is not his lovers navel that he was in love with in the original.

WhoWee

Excuse me...how did you arrive at this conclusion?

Borek

I guess (but that's just a speculation on my part) that it have to be seen in a context of a victorian morality. Just because in 1920 nobody was shaving body hair doesn't mean it wasn't popular 100 years earlier.

Evo

If you look at ancient Roman and Greek sculptures and piantings, women did not have pubic hair. If you watch documentaries on tribes in the Amazon, they do not have pubic hair. It is for hygiene. There was one show where there was a female scientist and the tribe women were shocked when they saw she had pubic hair, they couldn't believe it.

flintsmith

To get an answer, I would turn the question around. Were there not-hot women? Were there women left out of the gene pool, and why?

I bet the HF (hotness factor) had to be pretty low for a female to avoid offspring in the days before birth control.

stevenb

Call me old-fashioned, but this is an ideal women in my eyesight. She looks healthy, strong and beautiful. Hips are wide enough to survive child-bearing and she's just hefty enough to have nutritional reserves and to keep me warm at night. If any man gives her trouble when I'm not around, she'll deliver a good swift mule-kick to the you-know-whats.

And, if one of those beach beauties tried to seduce me, they wouldn't survive her wrath. (Well, that's a bit of a draw-back, but at least she would keep me honest.)

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planck

Now, that is interesting. I would love to read more about this.


It has to be based on fertility alone. I guess whatever women looks healthier compared to the other sickly ones. What choices do you have? The girl with the leprosy, and the one without?


Yes, but those sculptures are also romanticized. I remember seeing a show about those chiseled greek adonis statues. The style back then was to make the body image as perfect as possible. The real question is whether or not the women (and men) would actually aspire to look like that too. Did they exercise back then? lift weights? Did they have the luxury of calorie counting?

Actually, food and calories were probably not an issue considering that fatty and sugary foods probably didn't exist. But some form of gluttony may have needed to be confronted by some.

Radrook

To an alligator the female alligator is hot. I'm sure the Neanderthals considered their gruff-looking women as hot as we consider ours. Hotness is culturally and temporally variable. It's a totally personal thing.

WhoWee

http://www.jango.com/music/Stephen+Stills?l=0

"Love the one you're with..."