Twisting the hair is a relatively simple technique that doesn’t require complicated technology or tools, which makes dating and sourcing its origins tricky. As well as being discovered in ancient African imagery, one of the earliest known mentions of the style is referenced in Hindu Vedic scriptures which refer to the jaTaa – which translates as ‘wearing twisted locks of hair’ – more than 2,500 years ago. In more recent history, two-strand twists started to enjoy a resurgence in the 2000s with the popularity of the natural hair movement and desire for protective styles.