Beard

Myths, folklore, and symbolism
Beard A symbol of masculinity and strength, a long beard is often a symbol of wisdom. Gods, rulers, and heroes are usually represented with beards (e.g., Indra, Zeus, Hephaestus, Poseidon, the God of the Jews and the Christians). Even female Egyptian rulers were provided with beards as a symbol of their power. In antiquity philosophers and rhetoricians wore beards as a sign of their dignity. Christ, on the other hand, was usually depicted without a beard (i.e., as a youth) until the sixth century.

In many cultures it was a severe insult to cut of one's enemy's beard; as a sign of mourning, on the other hand, one sometimes cut off one's own beard. (Herder)