In the hot sun of Egypt it is useful to wear some kind of head covering. A simple cloth, folded in at the sides, was worn by many people. It would normally have been in a single plain colour and made of cotton.

The striped headcloth worn by pharaohs in ancient Egypt was, however, different, in that it was a symbol of the pharaoh. This headdress was striped, and is a feature of all statues of pharaohs, clear to see on all coffins. In this case, rather like stripes on the arm of an army sergeant today, it is a symbol of rank.