Posted February 1st, 2012
Bodily Adornments – The Description Of Bodily Adornments
A History Of Body Piercing
Body piercing is the practice of putting holes into the skin in which decorations or ornaments can be placed to enhance ones appearance. People have been doing this for thousands of years. It can be done for medical, cultural, religious or aesthetic reasons. Ornaments can be worn in almost any part of the human body but most commonly in the mouth, nose, belly button and ears. Different types are sometimes favored differently by men and women.
In some cultures all people regardless of age take part in this practice, however in the western world in current times it tends to be favored by the young. Hindus famously practice body art and there are also many cults across the world that do too. In the west today the most common reason for piercings is for fashion whereas cultures elsewhere around the world tend to do it for religious or cultural reasons.
In ancient Egyptian civilization, piercings reflected status and the love for beauty. The mummies that have been discovered with piercings in the tombs of Egypt were dated to 5000 years ago. They belonged to a supposedly rich man and were in the form of ear plugs. This is the basis for the theory that plugs were the earliest forms of bodily piercings.
In a similar way Egyptian Pharaohs had gold jewelry in their belly button piercings. This was a perk that was only enjoyed by a Pharaoh and nobody else, including the royal family and important subjects. Belly button piercings are still very popular today.
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.
Romans were another civilization that treasured piercings and considered piercing nipples of centurions to be a sign of strength and virility. It served as a mark of honor that signified undying loyalty to the service of the Roman Empire therefore was the preserve of a few. Gladiators had their genitals pieced since they were slaves. This prevented them from engaging in intercourse without the consent of their owners.
Another common body part to be pierced both today and in history is the tongue. American Indians and people of the Mayan empire believed that the bloodletting of the tongue brought them closer to their Gods. These people also believed that nose piercings looked scary so they would pierce the noses of their warriors to make them look more formidable.
These practices went out of fashion during certain periods in history, particularly in the West where the church condemned it and made it 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.
The art has been spreading to other parts like the nose and eyelids. Rock stars and their adoring fans have been known to be the most avid piercers with some of the most outrageous piercings. Conservatives have stuck to the ear piercings and only women are allowed.
Tattoos for women have become more popular over the last score of years. More and more women are opting for colorful body art and body piercing.
Tags: body piercing, Tattooing
