Body Piercing

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Elaine Davidson-Brazil

“Most Pierced Woman”

Guinness World Record

2010- 6725 Piercings

By Definition:

Merriam-Webster Dictionary – Body Piercing

“the practice or an instance of adorning the body with jewelry or ornamentation that penetrates the flesh”

1989- Description “Body Piercing” was created, existed long before that

Ancient Existence

Mesopotamians used piercings to identify slaves and indentured servants

Egyptians used piercings to demonstrate social class- the more piercings the more important Pharaoh’s were the only ones allowed to have belly-button

piercings

The Bible mentions piercings in Genesis 24:22:

“And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold”

Otzi the Iceman

The oldest mummified person to date.

Found with “gauged out” ears, size 7-11 mm

Nose piercing popular in India in 16th century

Tongue piercing practiced by Aztec and Mayan civilizations

Ancient Roman centurions displayed strength in their pierced nipple

Australia and New Guinea indigenous would pierce septum to appear as fierce savages in war

Across Africa and South America, Lip Plates are used for women to increase Bridal Price

Body Piercing in Western Civilization

With the extinction of different cultures and Industrialization, body piercing was forgotten in Europe.

Became uncommon for piercings to exists, especially in the United States in the early 1900s

It wasn’t until the 1960’s when body piercing would resurface in Western Civilization

Growing Popularity

1960’s- Ear piercings and Body piercings became popular in homosexual communities across England/United States

1970’s- Spread throughout the punk rock community as a sign of difference

1980’s- “Operation Spanner” in the UK- viewed body piercing as consensual sadomasochism, tried to outlaw it but failed to an extent

1990’s- Body piercing takes off in United States, 1993 appeals on “Operation Spanner” prove successful, celebrities endorse body piercings

Janet Jackson- showing off

her body piercing

Superbowl 38, 2004

Different Types

Ears- Most Common to pierce and stretch (Lobe, Pinna, Scaffold)

Oral- Cheek, Lip, Madonna, Tongue

Surface- Unlimited, common types- Eyebrow, Nape

Genital

Nasal- Nostril, Septum

Abdominal- Nipple, Belly Button

How To Pierce

Piercing Needle- Most Common

Piercing Gun- Hurts and unsterile

Tapered Piercing

Dermal Punch- Surgically remove skin

Stretching

Can use Tapers, Weighted Jewelry, Tape

Why do it? Some for cultural purposes, but it’s a culture in and of

itself.

Fashion

Some still see it as a form of sadomasochism, although studies have proven that not to be the case- “…body piecing should be seen as desires to show a

subject's identity rather than as a marker of psychopathology”- Journal of Psychosomatic Research

Why would ritual pass down from ancient times, spread across the world, uniting people around the world?

Community in individualism