How would you do your wedding-day hair if you were living in ancient times?

Egypt - cut hair close to head, wear long black braided wig. Decorate with gold ornaments or ivory hair jewellery.

Greece - grow hair long and then comb it back into a low hair bun. Dye hair with henna for red tone if desired. Dust powdered gold onto your hair and add flowers, jewels or ribbons. Alternatively, leave your long curly locks flowing free, gather the hair at the sides of your forehead, pull it back and plait the strands together. Lay a string of pearls on this band of hair, encircling your head. Pick one big jewel to hang from the pearls, onto your forehead.

Rome - dye hair blonder or wear a wig made from the hair of suitable blond slaves. Keep it curly and copy the greek trends with jewel and gold dust highlights. Alternatively, employ a hairdresser to create a ridiculously ornate hairdo, balanced on a wire frame.

China - keep it long and simple, in a braid or a low hair knot.

Japan - keep it simple, or go geisha and laquer your hair into an elaborate design - add hair pieces, jewels, hairpins, strings of beads, flowers...

Africa - cut hair short and simple, or dye it with natural dyes, or make many tiny thin plaits and arrange them over a conical frame: fan out the ends and secure with long bone needles.

America - plait hair into two thick side plaits and decorate with feathers, or cut hair into a bob and secure with a headband, or shave your hair off and replace it with a tall, elaborate headdress.

Europe - your hairline is your enemy. Pluck out the hair around your forehead to create the illusion that your forehead is larger. Scrape remaining hair back and add a fashionable headdress. Alternatively, cover the hairline with a close fitting cap, or an embroidered bejewelled turban.