Body Piercing – The History Of Body Piercing

Body piercing is an age old tradition that has taken place for over thirty thousand years. People pierce various body parts for a variety of reasons including as part of cultural or religious practices. This is particularly common in certain communities on the African continent. In more recent times the most common reason for ornamenting oneself is for appearance. The most common parts to adorn with jewels are the nose, ears and belly button but it is possible to pierce almost any body part.

In modern day world, few people practice it for reasons other than ornaments. The known religions that have piercings for religious purposes are Hinduism and other cults. Otherwise piercings are done for fashion reasons and are most common among the youth. Though some old people still practice piercings, they are a rare sight indeed.

It can be quite difficult to trace the history of this practice however evidence of it has been found in Egyptian tombs that are about five thousand years old. It is believed that in this civilization these body decorations were a sign of high status. The pierced Mummy that was found was believed to be a rich man and he had ear plugs which were the original way of being pierced.

Today one of the most popular piercings is the belly button, however this is not a new trend. Egyptian Pharaohs had their belly buttons pierced with gold embellishments. Gold decorations were a sign of status and only the Pharaohs themselves were allowed to wear them. Nobody else, including members of the royal family were allowed to use these decorations.

Piercings were also used as a symbol of importance and wealth in biblical times. The richest people wore the best jewelry and it was often used instead of money when providing a dowry for a bride. In addition these people wore jewelry for the same reasons we do now, in order to enhance their appearance and look beautiful.

During Roman times the piercing of ones nipples signified virility and strength and was therefore practiced by centurions to show off their position. This also was a way of showing their commitment and loyalty to the empire that they served. In complete contrast to the Egyptians, some piercings were reserved for slaves. These were genital piercings that prevented the slaves from taking part in sexual activities that were prohibited without permission.

Among the ancient Mayan empire peoples and some American Indians, they practiced it on the tongue for religious reasons. It was said to bring them closer to their gods as it was a form of ritual bloodletting. Their warriors had their noses pierced to achieve a frightening look.

Between the periods of popularity for this practice in Ancient times and in modern times, piercing went through a time when it was not so popular. This was largely in western countries where the church made the practice into a sin.

Body adornments began to get popular again during the Elizabethan period. It was most popular among sailors and travelers, so it was mostly men that wore piercings. Nowadays it is more common in women and the most common part to pierce is the ears.

Different cultural events, like the emergence of rock and roll music, brought body piercing back into fashion. At this particular time, the trend was to have more unusual parts of the body pierced, like the nipples and the genitals. It is usual for conservative women to wear one pair of earrings.

Tattoos for women have become increasingly popular over the last score of years. More and more females are opting for elaborate body art and body piercing.

Tags: body alteration, body art, body decoration, body piercing, Health and Well Being, nose piercing, tattooing, tattoos, tattoos for women