Dreadlocks originated as an ancient hairstyle with roots tracing back thousands of years across multiple cultures worldwide. Archaeological evidence shows the earliest known dreadlock-like hairstyles appearing in ancient Egypt around 3400 BCE through wigs and mummified remains with locked hair. Dreadlocks were also present in ancient Hindu culture (Sanskrit: jaṭā) by around 1500 BCE, as worn by the god Shiva and his followers, as well as in Mesoamerica, East African tribes like the Maasai, and among Celtic and Viking peoples. The hairstyle carries deep cultural and spiritual symbolism in many societies. The term "dreadlocks" itself is believed to come from Jamaican Creole, related to the Rastafarian movement's religious dread or reverence for God, with other theories linking the name to the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya or the appearance of enslaved Africans' hair. Despite the modern popular association with Africa and Rastafarianism, dreadlocks as a style have existed globally since prehistoric times, formed naturally by matting hair.