The history of the tradition of male handshake

• The history of the tradition of male handshake

The vast majority of modern tradition has very deep roots, leaving just a century. A prime example is the handshake. Today few people think about where it went to the gesture, and why even today it is not very common among women.

In our time, a handshake is used as a gesture confirming the intentions of kindness and expressions of mutual respect for each other. Accordingly, the refusal to shake hands - this is the most simple and silent way to show disrespect to the man. The most interesting thing is that today it is for certain not known exactly when and where did this gesture. Many believe that he shake hands appeared in the age of chivalry. In fact it is not.

Medieval knights were not the first who carried out the handshake (in the sacred sense of demonstrating the absence of weapons in his hand). Archaeologists find numerous fine art of ancient Greece, which confirm the fact that the Greeks were perfectly familiar with the gesture and used it for the same, which use modern humans. There is also a poem by Ovid's "Metamorphoses," written in the I century AD, where this ritual is described directly.

is more interesting is that this gesture has gone through a century of European history without changing its meaning. It is also noteworthy that even in our time, a handshake is not common among women. Today it is used only in a business setting. In the ordinary circumstances of the fair half did not shake hands. Most likely this is due to the fact that for centuries the gesture was purely masculine virtue dependent social position of women in society.