The piercing and the afterworld

Image:©shime/Fotolia

In ancient times, people believed that a piercing on the bellybutton could lead them to the afterworld without pain. The piercing was considered a sign of belonging to the aristocracy and it symbolized braveness and manhood.

Nowadays, proofs of the archaeology amaze with their disclosures for the body decorations of the oldest people in the world.

It was absolutely obligatory for the most masculine warriors to wear earrings. This attribute was forbidden for women in the past. This is proved by some excavations made in ancient cities in China and Siberia.

In ancient times, tattooing was a real horror for the teenagers. They had to cover their whole bodies with tattoos of some mystical birds and other animals.

The Egyptian pharaohs back in that time had piercings on their bellybuttons. It was a ritual for passing from the earth’s life to the afterworld. It was believed that the human’s soul was in the stomach, not in the heart or the head. By laying the embalmed body in the pyramids, the person’s soul was supposed to be snatched by the birds of god Osiris from the belly’s ring.

The great Roman generals pierced their nipples to show their contempt for pain. With the rings there, they proved their loyalty to Caesar.

It is wrong to believe that body piercing is inherent to the culture of India. The truth is the metal jewels on the body reached this country in XVI century.

Body piercing nowadays is really popular among teenagers.