This slideshow goes alongside a 20-minute presentation for a Folklore course. The subject of this presentation is the practice of body piercing: history, different types/methods, and theories behind its purpose. This presentation also included a 60-minute interview with an experienced practitioner, as well as body piercing tools/jewelry as props.

1. Body Piercing
-------
Elaine Davidson-Brazil
“Most Pierced Woman”
Guinness World Record
2010- 6725 Piercings

2. By Definition:
 Merriam-Webster Dictionary – Body Piercing
“the practice or an instance of adorning the body
with jewelry or ornamentation that penetrates the
flesh”
 1989- Description “Body Piercing” was created,
existed long before that

3. Ancient Existence
 Mesopotamians used piercings to identify slaves and
indentured servants
 Egyptians used piercings to demonstrate social class- the
more piercings the more important
 Pharaoh’s were the only ones allowed to have belly-button
piercings
The Bible mentions piercings in Genesis 24:22:
“And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the
man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two
bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold”

4. Otzi the Iceman
The oldest mummified person to
date.
Found with “gauged out” ears,
size 7-11 mm

5.  Nose piercing popular in
India in 16th century
 Tongue piercing
practiced by Aztec and
Mayan civilizations
 Ancient Roman
centurions displayed
strength in their pierced
nipple
 Australia and New
Guinea indigenous
would pierce septum to
appear as fierce
savages in war
 Across Africa and South
America, Lip Plates are
used for women to
increase Bridal Price

6. Body Piercing in Western
Civilization
 With the extinction of different cultures and
Industrialization, body piercing was forgotten in
Europe.
 Became uncommon for piercings to exists,
especially in the United States in the early 1900s
 It wasn’t until the 1960’s when body piercing would
resurface in Western Civilization

7. Growing Popularity
 1960’s- Ear piercings and Body piercings became
popular in homosexual communities across
England/United States
 1970’s- Spread throughout the punk rock community as a
sign of difference
 1980’s- “Operation Spanner” in the UK- viewed body
piercing as consensual sadomasochism, tried to outlaw it
but failed to an extent
 1990’s- Body piercing takes off in United States, 1993
appeals on “Operation Spanner” prove successful,
celebrities endorse body piercings

8. Janet Jackson-
showing off her
body piercing
Superbowl 38, 2004

9. Different Types
 Ears- Most Common to pierce and stretch (Lobe, Pinna,
Scaffold)
 Oral- Cheek, Lip, Madonna, Tongue
 Surface- Unlimited, common types- Eyebrow, Nape
 Genital
 Nasal- Nostril, Septum
 Abdominal- Nipple, Belly Button

10. How To Pierce
 Piercing Needle- Most
Common
 Piercing Gun- Hurts and
unsterile
 Tapered Piercing
 Dermal Punch-
Surgically remove skin

11. Stretching
Can use Tapers, Weighted Jewelry, Tape

12. Why do it?
 Some for cultural purposes, but it’s a culture in and of
itself.
 Fashion
 Some still see it as a form of sadomasochism, although
studies have proven that not to be the case-
 “…body piecing should be seen as desires to show a
subject's identity rather than as a marker of
psychopathology”- Journal of Psychosomatic Research
 Why would ritual pass down from ancient times, spread
across the world, uniting people around the world?
 Community in individualism