Piercings have been around for many centuries. They have been a part of many cultures for various reasons and beliefs. There are a lot of different techniques and practices around the world for piercings. The most common place of a piercing is the ears, but there’s evidence of piercings in other places, such as the nose and nipples, found in ancient civilizations. The beginning of what is known about when piercings started dates back to 3,300 BC and possibly even before then. The oldest mummy found, who was believed to have lived during 3,300 BC, was found frozen in an Austrian Glacier in 1991, named Otzi, and had pierced ears that were 7–11 mm in diameter.
This trend was found to have continued during the reign of King Tut (1332- 1323 BC), as him and many Ancient Egyptians were also some of the oldest bodies found with piercings. They used them to show off their wealth and status and even had some piercings, such as the navel, reserved only for the pharaoh, and others only for the royal family. The navel piercing wasn’t as popular as it is today until the 90s, because it was considered scandalous until bikinis came into fashion and showing off one’s belly button became normal.
The practice of piercings began in primitive tribes. They believed that metal repelled demons and spirits and used metal earrings in order to protect themselves from being possessed.
Another use for piercings other than for decoration or showing off ones’ status was used by sailors. They wore earrings in case they died at sea and if their body was found the jewelry could pay for their funeral or burial. Some of the other ideas as to why sailors had ear piercings were because it was believed by some to improve eyesight while at sea if they had an ear pierced, or an indication of their experience as a sailor. Even highly ranked navigators during the Elizabethan era, Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh, had ear piercings that they showed off.
During 49-44 BC, Julius Caesar brought piercings into fashion in Ancient Rome. piercings were a symbol of masculinity and strength. They pierced their nipples to show unity and a bond to the Roman army and their dedication to the Roman Empire. It wasn’t until the mid-14th century that women started getting nipple piercings, because dresses with very low necklines that often showed their breast were in fashion, and the jewelry was used to decorate and go with the dress. It came back again in the 1890s where it appealed to high class women. Men during the Renaissance and Elizabethan eras also had at least one ear piercing to show off their wealth.
Other reasons for piercings were for religious rituals, such as the Aztecs, Mayans and some tribes in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. They would pierce their tongues to bring themselves closer to their Gods. This trend didn’t become as popular to the United States until the first professional piercing shop opened in LA in the 1978, and it was brought back. Also, as a way to appear like more of a threat to their enemies, they would pierce their septum. Aztecs would also use piercings as an indication of hierarchy, depending on the location of it and what kind of jewelry or material was used. Another ritual in many societies was that parents would pierce their child’s ear to indicate puberty.
For women in Central and South America and Africa, lip labrets were used to emphasize the lips. They are most common in tribal cultures. They made women appear more attractive to the Aztecs and Mayans, especially when the plates were carved with mythical or religious figures. Other cultures, such as the Makololo tribal women, use lip piercings in their upper lip, as a marriage ritual, the size of her plate corresponding to her dowry.
Other cultures use nose piercings as a symbol of wealth, and Desmond Morris author of The Naked Woman: A Study of the Female Body states, “it is still a common practice among the Berber and Bedouin peoples of North Africa and the Middle East, where the husband gives his bride a gold nose ring when they are married. The size of the ring indicates the wealth of the family, and, if a divorce occurs later, the rejected wife can use the gold in her nose to provide her with financial security.” In India in the 16th century, nose piercings became popular due to the belief that the left nostril was connected to the women’s reproductive system and would reduce the pain of birth and menstruation if they had it pierced.
Nose piercings became popular during the 60s and 70s when hippies started traveling to India and brought the trend back to the United States. After this a rise in interest in body piercings started in the U.S. and the rebellious attitude that was during the 1980swas more prominent.
While the 1600s were a time where men piercings were at a rise, due to the opportunity to use jewelry to advertise their wealth to potential partners, they weren’t in fashion again until the 1980s and 1990s. The right ear piercing was sometimes used as an indication of a gay man’s sexuality.
Today
There are many reasons people get piercings whether for religious reasons, appearance or self-expression, but no matter what piercing someone gets there’s always history behind each one. Different piercing trends have come and gone throughout the centuries, but as whole they have always remained a constant part of many cultures, except when they fell out of trend in the 1920s. Overall, piercings today in the United States have become a lot more accepted today than they were in the past. While it has been very common for people to have at least one piercing on their body, now it’s a lot more normalized to see someone with a piercing anywhere on their body, and certain ones aren’t limited to certain people. However, that being said, there is some controversy as to whether some are considered as cultural appropriation, so it is important to research a piercing before getting one.
This acceptance of all piercings as normalized has to do with the progression we have made as a society to begin to accept people for how they express themselves and the differences between us. Also, we have become more open as a society and embrace the “differences” that actually make us more similar to each other.
There have been several piercing trends that have come in and out of style over the recent years, from navel piercings, to gauges, to dermal piercings, and to septum piercings. But the most recent trend in piercings is back to focusing on the ears and adding more of a variety to the types of piercings and combinations of them.
Celebrities have an influence on what type of piercings are trending.
Even back many centuries, the rich, well-known, or royal influenced or decided what was in style and trending at the time. Celebrities like Christy Turlington, who showed off her navel piercing in a fashion show in 1993, which opened the way for other celebrities to show off theirs. Even Janet Jackson in 2004 pushed the trend forward when she had a wardrobe malfunction that accidentally exposed her nipple piercing. Now, with social media as a main part of our lives, it is a lot easier to see what is trending with different celebrities. Depending on who your idols or influencers are, you can follow them on multiple social media platforms and see what they promote. It is even more common to see professional piercers promote themselves through social media, and since it is easier to see this trend online, it is something we have become accustomed to seeing, we are not surprised when an “odd” new piercing trend comes back in style.
The Trend of Piercings 