Zalumma Agra, ‘The Circassian Beauty’
In the 1800s, certain parts of society developed an obsession with so-called Circassian Beauties. These were semi-mythical women from the Caucasus region. According to legend, not only were they exceptionally beautiful, they were also elegant, docile and unusually willing to please. This is why, so the legend went, they had long been the stars of royal harems and the most sought-after concubines and slaves throughout history. Of course, P.T. Barnum was only too ready to cash in on this public fascination.
Needing attractions for his American Museum in New York, Barnum contacted John Greenwood, his agent and talent scout. Greenwood was sent to Europe and then to Constantinople on a mission to bring back a ‘Circassian Beauty’ (or two). In the end, however, he found the right girl a lot closer to home. Exhibited under the name ‘Zalumma Agra‘, Barnum’s first ‘Circassian’ girl was probably a local young female, with her hair made bigger and held in place with the help of beer.
Zalumma and her fellow ‘Circassian Beauties’ were required to dress in oriental-style costumes, read poetry and generally act demure. The fact that they were neither from the orient nor even looked like people from there was largely irrelevant – the paying customers were satisfied. For a while at least. Soon, Barnum needed to freshen up the act. Simple Circassian Beauties were not enough, so his ladies were required to perform a range of circus tricks, including sword-swallowing. Before long, this type of exhibit died out, but not before Barnum had made a good deal of money from the phenomenon.