Body piercings and tattoos are symbols of beauty and strength.
Body piercing and tattooing are body modifications that involve puncturing, cutting, marking, and dyeing the skin, among many others. Body piercing also involves cutting out a part of the body to create openings for jewelry, while tattoos make permanent marks by inserting ink into layers of skin. Both practices have been around since ancient times for rituals, identification, and display of wealth and beauty, among many others.
Body piercing dates back to ancient times, when the Egyptians used to pierce their ears with gauge plugs. This practice was actually mainly practiced by the royal family, which included piercing and adorning navels. Most wealthy Egyptians display their wealth and accentuate their beauty by wearing earrings that were often designed like lotus flowers. Body piercing was a sign of status and attractiveness even during Biblical times. The ancient Romans were also known to pierce different parts of the body which included the male nipples to show strength and virility. Gladiators, who in ancient times were considered slaves, had their genitals pierced with a ring to bind their organs with a piece of leather to prevent serious injury during combat, as well as to prevent them from having sex without the consent of their partner. owner.
The Mayans, Aztecs, and American Indians were also known to pierce their tongues as part of their religious rituals. Tribes in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands were also known for piercing their noses with bones, fangs, and feathers, while in Central and South America, women had their lips pierced and stretched to insert wooden plates. This was called a labial lip, which was also popular with the Aztecs and Mayans who used gold and jade instead of wooden plates. These practices were used to enhance attractiveness and sexuality in ways different from religious or tribal rituals.
Like body piercing, tattoos also date back to ancient times with the first recorded incident occurring in Egypt, even before the pyramids were created. Tattoos were used as a type of decorative body modification, as well as for identification and branding, among many others. The word tattoo is said to come from the Tahitian word “tatau”, which means to mark something. This was practiced for different rituals and traditions that included identifying a woman’s abilities. The symbol of a woman’s abilities is tattooed on the forearm, which will increase her status as prime marriage material. Beliefs about disease prevention were also given as reasons for tattooing wrists and fingers. Tattoos, above all, were used to indicate membership in a clan or society which is still used to this day.
Body piercing and tattooing are considered painful pleasures for people who consider both art forms to enhance beauty. These are also symbols of strength and belonging for the people who undergo these body modifications, while for others they signify their individuality and uniqueness from the rest of the world.