Where did the Smurfs get their hats

Summary

That white floppy hat on top of every Smurf’s head. What is it? Where did it come from? Do Smurfs have bald spots? We’ve got a history lesson coming up here, folks. Sit back. But, first, let’s answer a side question: What’s Under a Smurf’s Hat? There’s only one true source for information on this question, and that’s Peyo’s comics. Accept no substitutes. Yes, there are probably moments in various movies and cartoons where a Smurf can been seen without their hat on. That’s not Peyo. Peyo showed us one example of a Smurf without a hat. Go to the classic story, “The Purple Smurf.” At one point, Papa Smurf’s lab blows up, along with his hat. Papa Smurf is bald. This doesn’t necessarily mean that Brainy Smurf isn’t sporting a pompadour under his hat or that Hefty Smurf doesn’t have a buzz cut, but… We know Smurfs are capable of having hair. Smurfette has luxurious blonde locks, but she’s also not really a natural born Smurf. Technically, she’s a concoction of Gargamel’s. But let’s give his spell-making the benefit of the doubt. Maybe Smurfs can have hair. I mean, where do Smurfs come from? What’s the genetics at work that would determine– –wait, no, I’m not going down that rabbit hole. Papa Smurf is definitely bald. I bet you already assumed that, though. Let’s move on. Where Do Smurfs Get Such Wonderful Hats? It’s called a Phrygian cap, which is about as much fun to type as Vercingetorix, who is an amazing story for another day. The headgear is over 2000 years old. Here’s proof: By Jastrow (2006), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=647031 Handsome fella, isn’t he? But check out that hat! He’s totally a Smurf, right? His name is Attis, and this sculpture comes from somewhere in the 100s AD, though Attis lived even further back, in the 4th century BC. In that time period, you know who else worse a Smurfs hat? King Midas. Yes the guy with the thing for gold. (Croesus is also involved in this story, but let’s not get completely off topic.) Phrygi...