During the 18th century wig curlers were made of kiln-fired white clay and were used to style wigs predominantly worn by elite, white men. Several wig curlers were discovered by archaeologists at Colonial Dorchester, indicating that colonial fashion trends – including curled and powdered wigs – were present in this colonial town. Although the wig curlers recovered are all fragmentary, the varied sizes can still be clearly seen and are evidence of their use on different lengths and styles of wigs.

Muraca, David et al. 2011. “Small Finds, Space, and Social Context: Exploring Agency in Historical Archaeology.” Northeast Historical Archaeology vol. 40, article 1.