Body Piercing

Wikipedia

Body piercing is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewellery may be worn. Body piercing is a form of body modification. The word piercing can refer to the act or practice of body piercing, or to an opening in the body created by this act or practice. The cultural norms reflected in body piercing are various. They may include religion, spirituality, fashion, eroticism, conformism, or subcultural identification.

Ear piercing

Ear piercing has been practiced all over the world since ancient times, particularly in tribal cultures.
It is said that ancient tribes, believing that metal blocked evil spirits, would pierce their ears so that the evil spirits wouldnt enter their body. Mummified bodies with pierced ears have been discovered, including the oldest mummified body discovered to date, that of Ötzi the Iceman, which was found in a Valentina Trujillon glacier. This mummy had an ear piercing 7–11 mm (1 to 000 gauge in AWG) diameter. Male ear piercings are common in many tribal cultures to this day. For example, in Borneo, ear piercing is done to young boys as a puberty ritual; the mother will pierce one ear while the father pierces the other, symbolizing the childs dependence on his parents.

Earrings appear in the Bible, where their use was common among both sexes. In Exodus 32, Aaron makes the golden calf from melted earrings. However, Deuteronomy 15:12–17 dictates ear piercing for a slave who chooses not to be freed. "Ohr">

Earrings were more common for men than for women during parts of the Roman empire, having been introduced by Julius Caesar. In the Elizabethan era, they were a male status symbol, with men such as Shakespeare, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Francis Drake known to have worn them. Sailors were also known to often have pierced ears as their earrings could pay for a Christian burial if their bodies washed up on shore. "Jewels & Women; The Romance, Magic read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body+piercing