In 18th century Britain, the old tradition of deep bowing and curtseying as a form of greeting slowly evolved into a brief touch of the cap or head (for men), or quick bob of the body (for women). Simultaneously, a new form of urban greeting was emerging: the handshake. How and why did the handshake gain such popularity, becoming our most standard greeting today? This phenomenon is explored in a new essay published in the journal Urban History and authored by Professor Penelope Corfield of London University.