Here's why we pierce our ears: Reason revealed
New Delhi : Ear piercing is an action which date back to times immemorial. Besides, it defines the style statement of an individual. A study reveals a statistics that between 80 and 90 percent of women in America have their ear pierced and men joins the same number. Well, in India, small population of men prefer ear piercing as compared to highest percentage of ear pierced women. But, one question comes in the mind, why do we pierce our ears?
Ear piercing is a global tradition and history says that piercing was not confined to ears only. In fact, Otzi, a man thought to have died around 3300 B.C.E, whose mummified remains were found in the Europe’s Otzal Alps in 1991 reveals that he not only had pierced ears, but had stretched his ear lobes, as well.
In addition, there are even mentions of earrings in the Bible and the reason behind the choice to do so is significantly linked to the particular culture of whoever is getting their ears pierced.
Well, the most common reason behind this particular form of body modification is that it was considered as identifying individuals as upper-class or even nobility, specifically during Egypt’s Thutmosid Dynasty (1549 to 1292 B.C.E.), the Bronze Age Minoan Civilization, and in both ancient Rome and ancient Greece. Members of the ruling class would adorn their ears with jewels and precious metals, or pendants in the form of deities, to indicate their status.
With passing time, the tradition of wearing jewellery in ears became a fashion statement. To inform, sailors were among the groups who pioneered this trend among men. Eventually, both Europeans and North Americans began piercing their ears by the early-to-mid 20th century. And during 1960s, the earrings got popularity in the United States.
“Some people like the aesthetics, for some people it’s tradition, and for some people it hinges widely on gender roles,” says Victoria Rothman, a piercer at Graceland Tattoo in Wappingers Falls, New York. “For a lot of older piercers, it was rebellion, but now, as it moves into the mainstream, it’s not so much that anymore.”
