Upon doing a little research by way of Google under the titles of "What is the history of tattoos , and What is the history of ear piercing". I came up with some interesting items.
Now none of this do I personally hold to , (as it is not with Church approval), but in light of the subjects we are discussing, feel it relative to the cause , if you will ? (a cautionary note if you go to any of these sites, some have gross pic s of body parts etc.)
Tattoos and ear piercing have been around for along time , as we all know, but for a variety of different reasons. One of the more interesting notes , is the development of an "Erasable" tattoo, by laser, developed in 2006
Ear Piercing - Earliest Civilizations
Pierced ears and earrings for pierced ears have been found on every continent throughout history. Evidence from the earliest civilizations in the Middle East show that pierced ears were worn at least six thousand years ago, but given the popularity of pierced ears in non state-level societies, they certainly must predate the archaeological record. Multiple ear piercings were used in some cultures, such as ancient Mesopotamia, pre-Colombian Meso-America, and the Greco-Roman world. Many cultures have also stretched the ear holes and worn earplugs. Earplugs were worn by ancient Egyptians, Mayans, and Aztecs, by the Chinese, as well as by traditional cultures around the world.
Pierced ears have primarily been used as a form of adornment, and, for cultures which carry wealth in the form of jewelry, as a form of displaying wealth as well, such as among nomadic tribes like the Fulani of West Africa, the Tuareg of the Sahara, and the Bedouins of the Sinai Peninsula. The types of earrings worn also have been, in many cultures, an indication of rank and status, and some societies as well pierce the ears for religious purposes or magical purposes; in some societies, spirits are thought to enter the body through the ear, but the wearing of earrings repels them. Among many Northwest Coast Indians, such as the Tlingit, ear piercing is used to mark individual rank. Because paying for an ear piercing was costly, the number of holes in one's ear show the amount of wealth in one's family.
In many cultures young girls have their ears pierced a short time after birth; in some communities in India, Hindus pierce a girl's ears and nose twelve days after birth when she is given her name. The Tchikrin of central Brazil pierced boys' and girls' ears at birth, and immediately inserted wooden earplugs, which would be exchanged as the ear holes grew larger.
In other societies, ears are pierced as part of a rite of passage, usually at adolescence, or just prior to marriage. In Borneo, for example, parents pierce a child's ears to represent the child's dependence on the parents. The Fulani also use ear piercing to mark the life stages of their members. The Bible mentions pierced ears and earrings in a number of places. From those references we know that earrings were worn by Hebrews as a form of adornment, and that gold earrings represented wealth, but also that slaves' ears were pierced as a mark of servitude; Exodus 21:5-6 tells that freed slaves who want to continue to serve their master could have their ears pierced in court as a sign of permanent service. Just as Roman Christians chose to use the stigma of tattooing to mark themselves as slaves of God, other Christians use pierced ears as a way to show this same commitment.
Elsewhere in the Middle East, Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians all wore earrings, as a sign of beauty and wealth, and both men and women wore earrings. The finer the materials and the more elaborate the design, the wealthier the wearer. In Europe, the Middle Ages saw a decline in the wearing of earrings, but jewelry of all kinds became popular again in the Renaissance, when elite men and women wore earrings to demonstrate their status and wealth.
With all that said however, I still hold to that Tattoos , body piercing in any way is a sign of paganism, that God forbids such things , although it has yet to be proven in any written Church Docuмent, at this time, on this tread.
Note: go back to the excellent response , by "A responder , off thread"
Topic: Tattoo , Ear Piercing (Read 8460 times)