The exact period of time for using a handkerchief as an accessory in clothes is not established.
The accessory has been distributed since ancient times, especially in Central Asia, India and Western Asia, but was also popular in Western Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
A shawl is an element of clothing that, in addition to its aesthetic function, is designed to protect the neck from the weather, mainly from cold and wind.
Images of Egyptian pharaohs, created about 4 thousand years ago, describe the use of tissue on the neck, which could have a variety of purposes: from practical to symbolic or religious. Climatic conditions in Egypt did not require the practical wearing of headscarfs on the head, in addition, the fashion was the use of wigs.
In addition to the grandiose wigs, all the classes of free Egyptians wore a cloak - a headscarf, tightly fitting the head, two ends of which fell to the chest, and the third to the back, sometimes this end was intercepted with tape, then the ears remained open. Claft tied himself over the wig. A kind of claft was nemes - a striped handkerchief, in a handkerchief on frescos and sarcophagi depicted the pharaohs. The clutter could be white or striped, and the color of the stripes depended on the status and occupation of the owner: for example, the bands had red stripes, the priests had yellow, etc. The scarf with blue longitudinal stripes is a distinctive feature of the pharaoh's clothing.
In the ancient Greek world, women wore a pelosus - a piece of cloth, replacing a cloak and scarf at the same time or simply a bandage. Just used it and the women of ancient Rome.
Handkerchiefs, except for hats and hair nets, were used in Byzantium.

The column of Troyan in Rome near the square of Venice is another historical evidence of the fact that in ancient times people also wore scarves. In the images of 2500 soldiers, a certain image of the scarf is seen. Some of them are tied up like a cowboy handkerchief, others are neatly dressed in armor, wore shawls and warriors of Ancient China (evidenced by terracotta statues of Chinese soldiers, on whose necks there was necessarily a handkerchief).
A large piece of cloth was used as a shroud or as an accessory that a knight could resort to for vital reasons during a battle, for example, bandaging wounds, used to treat injuries.
Probably, the scarf, like other accessories, was an element of military uniform.
The use of a white scarf in the Middle Ages has always been explained by a military role, a sign of difference from the enemy, a uniting element of the army.
Other sources indicate that scarves and scarves are of religious significance.
In the images of ancient Chinese Buddha statues can be seen a large cut of fabric, arbitrarily lying on the shoulders.
Many people used a scarf in religious clothes. For example, the Jewish thallite - a handkerchief with brushes was used for prayers.
The Catholic priest for the service uses a tippet, in ancient Rome, the cloaks were clad in the stoles, and his quality emphasized the authority of the speaker.
In addition to ritual use of handkerchiefs and their practical application as a protection against cold, sun and wind, of course, there was also a desire to decorate themselves, to stand out and demonstrate their status.
The appearance of new styles of wearing, a variety in materials and cuts of scarves began in the Middle Ages, when trade between Europe and the East reached the greatest stability and flourishing.
So the scarves began to turn into scarves, ties, stoles and a variety of capes, which are more reminiscent of the elements of modern women's outfits
Modern accessories (scarves, scarves), made in the art of painting batik, help create harmony between the inner and outer image of a person, serve to form his unique image and are a fashionable element of clothing.