Dreadlocks also called locks or dreads, are matted coils of hair. Dreadlocks are intentionally formed; because of the variety of different hair textures.

Various methods are used to encourage the formation of locks such as back combing sections of the hair, twisting or a process involving the weaving of the hair with a crochet hook to form knots.

Dreadlocks are associated most closely with the recent Rastafari movement, but people from many groups in history before them have worn dreadlocks, including the Hindu Shiva worshippers of India, historic African people