When did people start stretching their ears?
This means, there are chances that ear stretching has existed even before this. King Tutankhamen (or Tut for short) was a great Egyptian pharaoh king, and his mummified body indicated signs of ears stretched up to 10 mm, this was around 1323 BC. The paintings that denote Egyptian history showed more kids than adults with stretched ears.
What is the history of stretching?
The History of Stretching According to scientists, around 130,000 years ago, Neanderthals were making necklaces or other jewelry from eagle talons.
Why do people in Africa stretch their ears?
Today Africa is still filled with tribes who have passed on the cutural tradition of ear stretching from generation to generation. 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.
Is the practice of extreme ear stretching still active today?
The practice of extreme ear stretching is still active in many tribes, but not as strongly as it used to be in the past. Surprisingly, where western world might have influenced the diminishing of this norm, they also are responsible for its return. Today, the customs of stretched ears have caught on in the modern world.
Who first gauged their ears?
ÖTZI THE ICEMAN (3300 BC) One of the first historical signs of stretched ears is Ötzi the Iceman. His frozen body was found in The Alps in Italy and dated back over 5,000 years.
When did people start stretching ears?
3,000 years BCEar stretching was also featured prominently in one of the most sophisticated civilisations of old. Dating back to 3,000 years BC the Mayans used ceramic, gold, jade, and alabaster to stretch their earlobes with the jewelry of choice being ear flares and ear spools.
What cultures have stretched ears?
The Maasai tribes of Kenya have used ear stretching to alter their appearance for centuries. Ear stretching may have been performed in various ways within the tribe: sometimes weight was used to elongate ear lobes; other times it was the size of the piercing that brought about the stretching, much like it is today.
Why do some cultures stretch their ears?
The Lahu and Karen-Padaung Tribes stretch their lobes and wear intricate jewelry in their multiple ear piercings because they believe that the ears are the most sacred part of the body. In present day, ear stretching is reserved for married women and seen as a sign of beauty.
Did the Aztecs stretch their ears?
Aztec men and women wore big tubular and round earplugs that were special because they showed whether someone was a soldier, a king, a priest, or even a teacher.
Did the Mayans stretch their ears?
The Mayan and Aztec tribes of Central America revered ears, believing them to be conduits of spiritual energy. While stretching goes back as far as human remains do, the style of plugs and flesh tunnels as we know them today can be traced straight back to them.
Did Egyptians stretch ears?
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 having stretched ears originated in sub-Saharan Africa.
Are stretched ears still popular 2020?
In the Western culture they were mostly seen in groups like punks or goths. Nowadays it continues to be on the rise. Ear stretching is growing in popularity with both men and women and it does not seem to be confined to any one type of group.
How long have people been stretching?
Otzi is thought to have been part of a copper culture that stretches back to the mid-fourth millennium BCE. So we know that the oldest people we've ever found stretched their lobes, and there's no telling how far back the practice goes.
How many mm were the ear lobes stretched?
And his ear lobes were stretched around 8 mm. Remember that this is not the oldest mummy, but the oldest mummy discovered so far. This means, there are chances that ear stretching has existed even before this.
Which tribes have stretched ears?
The Dayak Tribe. The Dayak Tribe of Kalimantan (Borneo) is also very fond of stretched ears. Their ears were stretched in a different way, where other civilization where more focused on the diameter of the stretched ears, their focus was on the length.
What was the purpose of ear piercings in ancient times?
Ear piercing was a major body modification method people used to enhance their beauty . In some civilizations, the longer the ears would be, the more beautiful or powerful that person was considered.
When did the Mursi tribe start?
It is believed that this custom probably started in Ethiopia during the 8700 BC (but no one knows for sure) and is still going strong today. This stretched lip and ear piercing had made Mursi tribe a source of endless fascination.
What happened to the short ears in the island?
The short ears were enslaved by the long ears and were forced to work for them and carve hundreds of statues. A mutiny occurred where the short ears eventually killed their masters and left the island with various complete and incomplete mysterious statues.
What were the Mayans' ears made of?
These were made of precious materials such as jade, gold, ceramic, and alabaster. It is believed that Mayans’ purpose of stretched ears wasn’t beauty, or indication of their royal lineage but a source for them to invite spirits into their bodies as spiritual conductors.
Which tribe had their ears pierced?
The Mursi Tribe (8700 BC) The Mursi tribe of Ethiopia has a rich culture of piercing, and is especially known for their lip plates. The women of this tribe would not only have their ears pierced but also their lips.
Who practiced ear stretching?
Ear stretching was also practiced by nobler mummies such a King Tutankhamen. Masks and statues of the boy king show his earlobes spaced; his lavish 10mm gauge spacers were also discovered. The Egyptians were not the only people whose sculptures accurately reflected their peoples’ body mods.
What did the Long Ears do to the Short Ears?
The Long Ears enslaved the Short Ears and forced them to carve hundreds of statues. Eventually the Short Ears got fed up and killed all the Long Ears, leaving behind close to 1000 stone Moai that have mystified generations.
What is the oldest human mummy?
He dates back to 3300BC, found by German tourists in 1991 in the Italian Apls. He is currently the oldest human mummy. His body is a canvas for several tattoos found on his back, ankles and knees. Ötzi’s ears are stretched 7mm-11mm in diameter (that’s 0g and up).
Why is body modification considered a cultural practice?
Body modification in general used to be a cultural practice, done because of ones social status, expectations of beauty, religion, or for traditional & ceremonial purposes. Westernized practice of ear gauging has become wholly about the individual, a way to wear your personality on your sleeve, as well as just for the fun of it.
When were the Moai statues carved?
The Moai statutes on Easter Island – or Rapa Nui by its traditional name – were carved around 1100 CE and display long ears with stretched lobes. There is a belief that this isolated island was inhabited by two kinds of people: the ‘Long Ears’ and the ‘Short Ears.’.
Is stretching your earlobes new?
During centuries too long ago for most people to care about, seeds of modern trends were planted, and continue to grow and permeate societies worldwide. The practice of stretching ones earlobes is certainly not new, and has come a long way in its meaning .
What does ear stretching symbolize?
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. It is a custom that allows the tribe to distinguish their women from those of other tribes.
Why did people start gauging their ears?
to beauty enhancement. Both men and women began spacing their ears very early, beginning in their childhood years. The initial piercing procedure would be performed with a spine from the trunk of a tree. After that, the Huaorani would stretch their lobes using wood or stone plugs of increasing size.
Who started gauging ears?
Ear stretching was a part of Egyptian culture from a young age. A clear sign that ancient Egyptians stretched their ears as we mention above was King Tutankhamun himself. Stretched to around 10mm (00g) it was such a part of who he was it was depicted on his golden death mask.
Why did 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.
Did King Tut have stretched ears?
King Tutankhamen The Ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun is one of the earliest known rulers to have stretched ear lobes. This can clearly be seen in one of his more famous images on his sarcophagus.
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.
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.
What is the history of ear plugs?
The Jomon and Kofun Cultures (Japan) Japan actually has an exceptionally long history of ear stretching, with earthenware plugs of the Jomon people going back into the 2nd millennium BCE. In later Jomon periods, the plugs might be made of carved antler, and tended to have a hole through the middle.
Why did the Olmec stretch?
We know the Olmec were stretching early, because their giant stone heads have giant stone plugs. The Olmec were probably the ones who got the Mayans started on the stretching train, as their artwork and jewelry were found in early Mayan burials, indicating that they were big trade partners.
Why were jade ear flares buried?
Beautiful jade ear flares were buried with people to show their wealth. This funerary mask from 683 CE shows how the composite earflares were worn on the outside of another piece of jade or wood worn through the earlobe, with a string and jade bead holding them in place from the back.
Where did the Etruscans come from?
The Etruscans are from northern Italy, and no one really knows how far back they go. Greek historians in the mid-first millennium BCE were talking about them, so they go back a long ways. And a ton of the stuff we think of as Roman was actually passed down from the Etruscans. This is an Etruscan earring from 1000 BCE.
Where are the stone plugs from?
The stone plugs, however, are from Ethiopia and were acquired by the British Museum in 1894, and might be as recent as that, although my research into both art and photography of Coptic Christians in the Middle East don’t suggest that they were widely stretching during the 19 th century.
What were Neanderthals making?
According to scientists, around 130,000 years ago, Neanderthals were making necklaces or other jewelry from eagle talons. Dr. David Frayer from the University of Kansas, along with folks from the Croatian National History Museum, found evidence of carving and polishing on the talons, and suggested they might have been strung together into a necklace using sinew.
Which tribes have stretched their ears?
Other Tribes and modern stretching. There are many other tribes that have stretched their ears across the world. Notably, the Mayans, along with the Aztecs, have shown a history of putting gold and silver in their stretched ears to show their upper class citizenship.
Who was the Egyptian pharaoh who stretched his ears?
Another great historical era with evidence of stretched ears was represented by the great Egyptian pharaoh, Tutankhamen. There have been many statues and wall paintings discovered of youths with stretched ears. It seems that in his day, more kids than adults stretched their ears.
Why did the Buddha wear gold earrings?
Some say that it was due to the Buddha's royal roots. Perhaps the affluent prince may have worn large earrings to show off his wealth. The weight of heavy gold earrings would stretch his ears. After the Prince left his royal family and all his lavish belongings and became the Buddha, his ears remained stretched and long.
Why did Buddha have long ears?
Many people debate on why Buddha might have had stretched ears. Buddhists believe that long ears are a sign of an enlightened being. Thus Buddha, being the most enlightened being, would have long ears to symbolize this.
Why are brass weights hung on the ears?
Both men and women are pierced at an early age and brass weights are hung to stretch the ears. Those in the tribe with long stretched lobes are well respected. The longer the ears were stretched, the more revered a person would become to the tribe.
How big were King Tut's ears?
There is little information on why the boy king stretched his ears. However scientist did determine that his ears were stretched to 10mm in size . His ornate 10mms were some of the first plug hangers to ever be found.
Where are Fulani ears located?
The Fulani Tribe is located in Nigeria and Central Africa. 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.
