London's five centuries of face coverings

[Still Waters]

Once limited to bank robbers, eccentric pop stars and health-conscious (and conscientious) Japanese tourists, the wearing of face masks in public is now common enough to be dubbed "the new normal".

Normal it might be - but it's not new.

From the Black Death to the suffocating smog, traffic pollution to the threat of gas attacks, face coverings have been worn by Londoners for the past 500-odd years.

Although the very earliest masks were used to disguise, donning a protective (rather than costume) mask dates back to at least the 6th Century BC. Images of people wearing cloth over their mouths were found on the doors of Persian tombs.

According to Marco Polo, servants in 13th Century China covered their faces with woven scarves. The idea was that the emperor did not want their breath affecting the smell and taste of his food.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-56085529