A Brief History of Body Piercing
16 August 2012
Ever wondered where your body piercing originated? Well, here's a brief Wikipedia history of some of the more popular piercings for you!
Lip/Labret
Lip and labret piercings have been widely practised throughout the world and especially prevalent in Central Africa and South America where the lip or labret is pierced or stretched for beautification purposes.
Navel
Contrary to popular belief, the navel piercing is a relatively new piercing - it was introduced to mainstream western society by supermodels who graced the runway with their belly's piercied in the 1990s. Since then, it has become a highly popular female body piercing.
Nipple
While nipple piercing was first recorded during the Roman Empire, nipple piercings became very popular for western women during the 1300s and again in the 1800s when low cut dresses were fashionable.
Nose
Nose piercing dates back thousands of years to the Middle East and is mentioned in the bible. It is believed nose piercing was brought to India by Mughul emperors where it became hugely popular among Hindu women, traditionally worn on the left side in the belief it would make childbirth easier and lesson period pain.
Tongue
Tongue piercing was practised by the ancient Aztecs, Mayans and other Central and North Amercian tribal people for ritualistic purposes. Some Middle Eastern people also practised tongue piercing.
