Where did the habit of wearing loads on the head?

For a modern man who is accustomed to bags, portfolios, backpacks and cars, the transfer of goods on the head seems to be at least strange. Meanwhile, this method in the past was distributed in all corners of the world, including Russia. It is impossible to say who came up with his first, but already on ancient Egyptian frescoes, such plots are constantly found. The reasons for its popularity were somewhat.

First, studies of physiologists prove that the transfer of gravity on the head is the most economical way for the human body. Efforts spent at times less, since the head barely rises and falls, due to which the cargo almost does not fluctuate.

Secondly, it is possible to raise much more weight than in the hands: the severity of the cargo is distributed over the spine, and does not outweigh one way. In addition, going with a straight back is much more convenient. For example, women of the Kenyan tribe of Luo are able to wear a cargo, equal to almost 70% of their body weight. At the same time, they spend energies two times less than the trained soldier making a march with a similar load! In India, there is even such a service when a special person will help to put a motorcycle on the roof of the bus. That is, it is not a problem for him to raise the weight of 150 kg on the head.

Thirdly, the hands remain free, which is especially important for women who need to make a lot of things at the same time. Yes, and the goods on the head of the merchant is visible to the buyer as on the showcase.

Finally, fourth, if you get used to carrying cargo on your head from childhood, not only the right posture is produced, but also a beautiful, smooth gait. It is not by chance that Africans and women of Southeast Asia remain so long.

To practice such a way of carrying, not only training is needed, but also, as a rule, a small device: a cliff or herbal roller or a headdress with a flat surface on which you can put a cargo. Their purpose – to soften the pressure on the head and make the position of the cargo more stable. For example, the our porters used the cards for this purpose. It is possible that a headdress is so common in the countries of the East, as a turban, also originated from a headband for cargo carrying.