Source+8

[|Past and Present]


 * 1) Aztec
 * 2) thrived in 14-16th century
 * 3) used jade, gold, and other precious materials as septum, nose, lips, and cheek rings
 * 4) even filed teeth into a T-shape for religious/fashion purposes
 * 5) specific materials or styles were worn to show status
 * 6) blood of priests and royalty was collected during the piercing process and burned to symbolize how important human sacrifice was
 * 7) Greece
 * 8) practiced pierced ears but most favored body mod was body building
 * 9) also used body mod as a form of punishment
 * 10) they would cut off noses and ears of rebellious slaves and would even sometimes castrate them
 * 11) learned to do so from the wars against Persia
 * 12) brand slaves foreheads
 * 13) Eunuchs--a castrated male. considered neither man nor woman, but an all together separate gender
 * 14) they took prisoners from Greece and when they were later returned, Greece saw what effect the body mod had and used it as punishment as well
 * 15) Rome
 * 16) stretched ears were not a form of self exploration, but only happened because the jewelery worn was so heavy
 * 17) nipple piercings:
 * 18) theory that it came from the roman breastplates that were cast to show nipple rings
 * 19) it could have been for the purpose attaching a cloak to the rings that a soldier wore
 * 20) Africa
 * 21) Berber People
 * 22) nose rings were given as wedding gifts
 * 23) shows wealth, influence, and power


 * 1) Mursi Tribe
 * 2) lip plates
 * 3) shows the coming of age w/ women
 * 4) age 15 or a year before marriage
 * 5) 3-6 inches in diameter


 * 1) Sara Kaba Tribe
 * 2) Arab slavers found the female Sara Kabas' lips beautiful, so in order to discourage the taking of their women, they pierced young females' top and bottom lips so that lip plates could be put in
 * 3) the top 4 teeth were often removed so that a larger lip plate could be inserted