The Ancient History of Ear Stretching. From Africa to the Americas, ancient tribes and civilizations have used body modifications to enhance their beauty for thousands of years. used as a simple way to change one’s appearance, adding to the individual’s natural beauty as well as social status.
- The Mursi tribe in Ethiopia practices the custom of stretching their ears and their mouths as a sign of respect. Traditionally around 15 years of age and before marriage, a girl’s lip and ears are pierced. The stretched ears and lip show that the girl has grown into a woman and is now able to have children.
Contents
- 1 Why do Africans stretch earlobes?
- 2 What is the significance of ear stretching?
- 3 What culture does ear stretching come from?
- 4 Where do gauges originate?
- 5 How do African tribes stretch their ears?
- 6 What is the point of no return ear stretching?
- 7 How does ear lobe stretching work?
- 8 What are ear lobes?
- 9 Why did Egyptians pierce their ears?
- 10 Why did the Aztecs stretch their ears?
- 11 When did humans start stretching?
- 12 When did ear stretching become popular?
- 13 Who invented the gauge system?
Why do Africans stretch earlobes?
THE AFRICAN FULANI TRIBE Their members start piercing their ears at a young age, but will not begin stretching until they are older. The tribe does not stretch their ears large like some of the other tribes. Their ears are stretched for decorative purposes.
What is the significance of ear stretching?
History has shown us that ear stretching was initially used to show that an individual belonged to a group or a tribe. It was accepted by the group and they were marked as being “one of us”. When someone did not have stretched ears they were considered to be an outsider or someone who did not belong to the tribe.
What culture does ear stretching come from?
The first recorded use of ear-stretching comes from Ancient Egypt, and can be seen in the sarcophagus of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun. In addition, anthropologists believe that the use of ear gauges originated in sub-Saharan Africa.
Where do gauges originate?
Gauges are old measures of thickness. They originated in the British iron wire industry at a time when there was no universal unit of thickness. The sizes of the gauge numbers were the result of the process of wire-drawing and the nature of iron as a substance.
How do African tribes stretch their ears?
The Maasai use heavy jewelry and beads Using a knife or thorn for the first piercing they then place heavier jewellery into the hole and gradually increase in size. Older members of the tribe have larger stretches, as it takes time to stretch ears safely. The size of the stretch is therefore a sign of age and wisdom.
What is the point of no return ear stretching?
The so-called “point of no return,” which is the size or gauge after which you will not be able to go back to original size, is a range between 0g and 4g for the majority.
How does ear lobe stretching work?
Ear stretching (also called ear gauging) is when you gradually stretch out pierced holes in your earlobes. Given enough time, the size of these holes could be anywhere from the diameter of a pencil to that of a soda can. Ear stretching takes time and effort.
What are ear lobes?
The earlobe (lobulus auriculae) is the soft, fleshy part of the outer ear. Without cartilage, the earlobe contains a large blood supply with many nerve endings. For some, the earlobes are an erogenous zone. Genetics play a part in whether the earlobes are attached to the neck or if they dangle free.
Why did Egyptians pierce their ears?
The first ear piercings arose amongst primitive tribes for magical purposes. An interesting fact is that only the pharaoh was allowed to have his navel pierced and anyone else who did so would be executed. Egyptians wore earrings to display their wealth and portray their beauty.
Why did the Aztecs stretch their ears?
Ear piercings occurred among both males and females. Children first had their ears pierced at an early age. Ears would then be stretched systematically until they could hold the ear spools that were highly desired and given only to persons of a certain age as a show of maturation.
When did humans start stretching?
The History of Stretching Given that, it’s not surprising to know that the Roman empire used stretching as a means to keep their soldiers in shape. However, it wasn’t until the end of the 18th century that stretching was officially documented in an osteological study.
When did ear stretching become popular?
Body modification grew in the ’00s As a part of this trend, ear stretching was increasing in popularity, driven in part by the emo culture in the ’00s. More places were offering ear stretching as an alternative to piercing. DIY kits also became available on the open market.
Who invented the gauge system?
8 gauge? Well, the system of gauging that we use in the modern body jewelry industry is mainly taken from the American Wire Gauge, created by Joseph Brown and Lucius Sharp, and adopted by the Waterbury Brass Association in 1857.