What is the original purpose of the barber shop red and white spiral pole?

Question

a little intresting trivia fact from how the conditions and what people belived in the country of the united states was first like.

Answer 1

They have not always been red and white - different colors have been used. The origin of the barber pole is associated with the service of bloodletting. During medieval times, barbers also performed surgery on customers. The original pole had a brass basin at the top (representing the vessel in which leeches were kept) and bottom (representing the basin which received the blood). The pole itself represents the staff that the patient gripped during the procedure to encourage blood flow.

The red and white stripes symbolize the bandages used during the procedure: red for the blood-stained and white for the clean bandages. Originally, these bandages were hung out on the pole to dry after washing. As the bandages blew in the wind, they would twist together to form the spiral pattern similar to the stripes in the modern day barber pole. The barber pole became emblematic of the barber/surgeon's profession. Later the cloths were replaced by a painted wooden pole of red and white stripes.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

The modern barber pole originated in the days when bloodletting was one of the principal duties of the barber. The two spiral ribbons painted around the pole represent the two long bandages, one twisted around the arm before bleeding, and the other used to bind is afterward. Originally, when not in use, the pole with a bandage wound around it, so that both might be together when needed, was hung at the door as a sign. But later, for convenience, instead of hanging out the original pole, another one was painted in imitation of it and given a permanent place on the outside of the shop. This was the beginning of the modern barber pole.

Answer 3

In olden days people thought that "bleeding" was the cure for many ills. They thought that the application of leeches was good too.
As a previous respondent said, the pole symbolizes the bandaged, bloody arm.
Of course, if the barber happened to be Sweeny Todd, it would be an unbandaged bloody throat.

Answer 4

Blood et Bandage.

Answer 5

It is the bandages and blood, as barbers were also dentists and marginal doctors

Answer 6

Here is the answer to this very interesting question:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barber's_pole

Answer 7

blood and bandage