Really, just how ancient is this no-face-viewing tradition?

Submitted by David (Viet Nam), Feb 18, 2009 at 03:27

I'm no expert on Islam or Arab culture, but I have a hard time believing that the tradition of women covering head-to-toe, let alone forbidding their husbands (and even daughters?!!!!) from EVER seeing their faces, can be all that venerable and ancient. Especially given the inconvenience and discomfort it must have imposed back in the days when most of these people were nomads eeking out a living under an oppressively hot sun.

Are there any experts out there who can tell us how & when this all got started?

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