Body piercing facts for kids
Body piercing, or simply piercing, is a type of body modification. It's when someone makes a small hole in their skin to wear jewellery. People of all genders have done this for many reasons throughout history. Some reasons are for religious practices or other cultural traditions.
History of Piercing
People have been decorating and changing their bodies for a very long time. Experts believe body piercing has been around for over 5,000 years! One of the oldest examples comes from Ötzi the Iceman. He is a natural mummy found in Europe and is about 5,300 years old. Ötzi had pierced ears.
Piercings of the ears, nose, and tongue have a long history. Many ancient cultures practiced these types of piercings. In some African tribes, lip piercing and stretching were common. These piercings often helped show a person's cultural identity.
Images for kids
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An earring found in an Alamannic grave in Germany, from around the 6th or 7th century.
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A traditional Burmese ear-boring ceremony.
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A Karen woman from Myanmar with traditional ear plugs.
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A Nilotic Mursi woman.
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A person with several facial piercings, including Monroe, Septum, and Lip piercings.
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Elaine Davidson, known as the "Most Pierced Woman" in the world as of 2009.
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Some piercing tools, like this gun, are not recommended by professionals for safety reasons.
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A piercer using a clamp during the early steps of a navel piercing.
See also
In Spanish: Piercing para niños
