A brief history of piercing
A centuries old tradition, expanded piercing - particular those of the
earlobes and lower lip - are an important body modification for many of
the worlds tribal people.
Having emerged independently in such diverse locations as North America,
the Amazon, Asia, Africa, Polynesia and New Zealand, the practice has recently
provoked growing interest in the West.
The practice has developed many variations of style and technique across
the world. A jewellery, string or stick is inserted into the earlobe and
gradually added to , in some places with the combination of weight that
the earlobes stretch sometimes many times the original length.
In some traditions it is the long earlobes and not the jewellery that are
considered attractive. Many times the ear piercing and stretching forms
part of rites to step into adulthood, in other it is a form of statues.
in some parts of Africa women start to stretch their lips six months before
marriage. The size of the lip plate indicates the number of cattle the husband
will have to pay for her dowry.