Piercing

Body piercing is a popular form of body modification that has been around for thousands of years. Nose piercings were first recorded approximately 4,000 years ago in the Middle East, and are mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 24:22. Sometime in the 16th century, nose piercing was brought to India from the Middle East. Nose piercings did not appear in the west until the 1960's when hippies traveled to India and brought the trend back to the states. Tongue piercings originated with the ancient Aztecs in the form of a ritual where the tongue was pierced to draw blood for the gods and to create an altered state of consciousness so shamans could communicate with the gods. Lip piercings were also popular among the ancient Aztecs, and were reserved for male members of higher castes. There are also numerous tribes throughout Africa in which pierced lips have a religious signifigance. Tongue piercings are now one of the most popular of all types of piercings. Ear piercings are thought to have originated for magical purposes. Primitive tribes believed that demons and spirits could enter a body through the ear, and these demons and spirits are supposed to be repelled by metal so ears were often pierced. In many societies ear piercing is also done as part of a ritual such as in Borneo where the mother and father each pierce one ear of their child as a symbol that the child depends on their parents. Body piercings, much like tattoos, are becoming more popular with modern culture, and new techniques and procedures are taking the art to a whole new level. Piercers now have the ability to insert surgical implants under the skin, pierce new areas of the body, and perform microdermal anchoring.