Body Piercing 101
There are various aspects through which people identify themselves. People are always sending some sort of message out at all times. These messages are means of communications about the individual to his or her peers and to society. Styles of dress, language, music, and dance are some of the ways that describes one’s own unique symbols, values, and meanings. One other signifier of identity is body piercing. Body piercing is a form of body modification, in which you puncture a hole in a part of your body and insert some kind of jewelry in the wound to keep it from closing. Body piercing has been a way for people to express themselves for many centuries. For some, it may be a fad, religious ritual, aesthetic or just to be “in”. Below I would explain, the diversity among the way people used body piercing in the ancient era and now in the 21st century.
Many years ago piercing developed and became many diverse qualities such as wealth, courage, and power. For example, the nose piercing has been known to have originated in the Middle East over four thousand years ago. The women in India adorned their noses with expensive gold nose jewelry. The kind of jewelry they wore distinguished their title and rank in their society. Wearing body jewelry to show the rank in society was a very common motivation for piercing in the ancient era. Nipple piercing served a purpose for the Romans. It would signify their s...
A controversial topic today is whether or not body piercings and tattoos should be accepted by professionals working in health care. Currently, tattoos and piercings are allowed in health care as long as they are not visible. According to one of the studies, “Body piercing is defined as a piercing of the body anywhere other than the earlobes” (Westerfield). Therefore, the only visible piercings allowed are small studs in the lobes of the ears for females. The reason body piercings and tattoos are not suggested in health care is that they keep someone from looking professional as well as making them look intimidating. Not everyone sees them that way. The opposing side is that they do not affect
In today’s society oral piercing and tattoos are considered a form of self-expression and body art. It is most common among people between the ages of 18 and 30 years old. Those who chose to have tongue piercing and oral tattoos believe that it reflects fashion, a daring personality, independence, and their sexuality. In other cases oral piercings and oral tattoos may be done because of the need for acceptance into a peer group, desire to assert individuality, or for spiritual
To survive in society, one must fit in. There are many reasons that people always try to be like everyone else. Some are unsure and others are afraid of being different. Many people change themselves just to fit in. Although tattoos used to be a sign of rebellion, they are now common. In Tattoos were once a sign of rebellion – no...
Gold was extremely valued by the Ancient Egyptians. It symbolised the halo of the god and this was identified to be very significant because gold was known as the symbol of immortal life. People of social or religious consequence were often hidden in ornament inlaid with or create of solid gold. Gold was also especially popular during the Roman history. When the metropolises and culture started to develop, Rome called out brilliant experts who could make a wide spectrum of jewellery such as rings, necklaces, circlets and earrings. Recent history scholars trust that the convention of wearing a ring to represent a commitment appeared from the Roman generation. Over time the Romans stretched the application of gold beyond jewellery and it started to make ornaments and other everyday objects of the upper class. The existence of many gold in the house was a symbol of power and wealth.
For a long time now body art and decoration has been a custom in many cultural groups. Through research we have learned about the different types of body art and ornamentation such as permanent and nonpermanent tattooing, scarification, and piercings. These forms of body art and ornamentation are done for a variety of reasons, ranging from identification purposes to religious rituals. “Skin, as a visible way of defining individual identity and cultural difference, is not only a highly elaborated preoccupation in many cultures; it is also the subject of wide-ranging and evolving scholarly discourse in the humanities and social sciences” (Schildkrout, 2004). The process of ornamentation and body art is usually a painful experience, but it is a way to signify a person’s self-discovery and their place in society. In this paper, I will explore the different aspects of body art and ornamentation in two different cultures; the Maori people of New Zealand and the Yoruba’s of West Africa and explain the cultural importance of their art.
Tradition of humans permanently marking their bodies has consistently been utilized as a means of identification. Greeks used it as a form of punishment and branding of those considered as “others” which comprised of slaves and convicts- ideology that was then carried over into Roman culture as a tool of state control (Fisher, 2002). Indigenous tribes that lacked a written language applied tattoos as a system of visual communication. Both the Osage and Omaha tribes tattooed themselves based on success in warfare, bearing a skull on the back of their heads to signify victory in battle. Inuit men would mark on themselves how many whales they hunted, while ink on women conveyed marital status (Porcella, 2009). Despite a long-standing history in other cultures, it is emphasized that the Polynesian and Japanese cultures are largely responsible for the diffusion of tattoos into Western society.
Tattoos have been used as a form of decoration on the body of the Egyptian mummies. In fact, tattoos were viewed as a “beautifying operation” to the Typee natives and in Wales they were once a royal fad. There have been many eras to see the tattoo as a prestigious decoration. The Japanese also practiced a form of tattooing that covered their warriors in intimidating designs. But after years of beauty and prestige, what changed the views of people? What made tattoos rebellious and unprofessional?
Many people have been getting tattoos lately. People of all ages have been getting them and from all different backgrounds. On a nice day in just about any public place one can spot a tattoo about every five minutes, from the business man who had a portrait of his daughter put on him to a young girl with a butterfly on her ankle and even people with extensive tattoo coverage. What is even more interesting is the rise in the number of people who are heavily tattooed and that they come from all different backgrounds. Not too long ago tattooing did not experience the popularity in mainstream culture that it does now. The question that must be asked in order to understand this fascination that popular culture has had with tattoos is why people get tattoos.
Tattoos and body modifications have been around for many generations. They first began in 3370 BC and were used by Europeans and Egyptians. Both tattoos and body modifications are defined as a cultural representation of self-expression and sometimes even religion. In the article “Tattoos and Piercing: Issues of Body Modification and the Workplace,” Dr. Elzweig states, “Although tattooing is not a new phenomenon, the number of people who have tattoos has increased significantly and continues to rise. Life magazine estimated in 1936 that only 10% of me American population was tattooed in whole or in part (One out of ten Americans is tattooed, 1936)” (Elweig, Peeples).
Your 18th birthday is one of the most important birthdays. You are finally of legal age to get a tattoo or a body piercing. The difficult question you now face is which one do you choose? You would love either, so the decision is mainly based on the expense, aftercare, permanence, and the pain of each. Both are great ways of self-expression but body piercing is an overall better idea.
Ancient Roman men offered their women a ring as a symbol of ownership. The circle was the symbol of eternity, with no beginning and no end. The hole in the center of the ring symbolized a gateway leading to events both known and unknown. These rings were called betrothal rings. They were made of iron, to symbolize strength and permanence. The more expensive the material was demonstrated the wealth of the giver, which was why iron was the most common ring material. The Romans were the first to wear the ring on the fourth finger of the left hand, otherwise known as the ring ...
The world has changed tremendously throughout the years. Through the personal and cultural expression of tattooing oneself most wonder why people today get tattoos. Furthermore, those who think tattoos are just for looks will have to realize that tattoos are a part of ones life. Therefore one might say, “ Tattooing is used in a way to mark important events or people in their lives in a permanent way.”(Milcetich) people today should look in the meaning and value of a tattoo “As a statement carved in ones body” (Milcetich). Along with that meaning in ones body, people’s attitudes towards tattoos have begun to change what one thinks about tattoos.
Body piercings originated in the Middle East around 4000 years ago. The earliest known form of piercing was the nose piercing. Mogul Emperors brought piercings to India in the 16th Century. Ayurveda, which is a traditional medicinal practice native to India, believed that piercing the left nostril of a woman acted as an acupuncture to ease the pain of child birth (Painful Pleasures Inc.). The art of body piercing was also practiced in parts of Africa. The size of the nose ring in African tribes signified the wealth of the family. After a marriage the husband gave the wife a nose ring, which was security in case of a divorce. In ancient times, piercings have also denoted socio-political status. Body piercings mainly represented some kind of social status. Septum and nipple piercings was a mark of the strength and power of a Roman gladiator. Figures like the Pharaoh were the only ones allowed to have belly button piercings, to showcase their God-like status. The Bible mentions body piercings as well. Body jewelry was a symbol of wealth and beauty in the Old Testament. Back then, anyone of a low social status who had a piercing was punished or even executed (WATConsult).
A persons’ image is vital when meeting someone for the first time. Our peers, employers, family, superiors, even strangers that you walk past can automatically judge someone, and imagine how they present themselves to the world. Tattoos have been predominantly linked with a rebellious attitude and pictured on out of control stereotypes such as rock starts, bikers, sailors, and disobedient teenagers who want nothing more than to hack off their parents. With a new coming of age generation and a step into a more lenient and liberal society these types of patrons still participate in body art but so do doctors, lawyers, or just the run of the mill house mom. Tattoos signify religious beliefs, cultural influence, or each individual’s sole style. Body art is no longer socially offensive, employers are more apt to hiring tatted hopeful applicants, parents are warming up to the idea of their children inking their body and no longer a stranger on the street with a tattoo is necessarily prejudged as a criminal or safety hazard. Tattoos have become more evolved over the years because they have become more of a socially accepted element of the general public.
Africans view body modifications as beauty. Body modifications, such as piercing, have been practiced in Africa for centuries. People there believe that one is not fully human and cannot be distinguished from animals if not pierced. Piercing is brought with royalty and portrays courage of a person (African Cultures Piercing).