Body Modification :: Body Piercings Essays

Body Modification: A Rising Sensation A heavily tattooed woman pinched my nose and picked up a gargantuan needle with her other hand. â€Å"Whoa...hold on,† I muttered. â€Å"What’s the matter?† â€Å"You have got to be kidding me. You can’t pierce me with that!† â€Å"Uh...why not?† â€Å"It’s waaaay too big! You can’t just take a chopstick and jab a hole into my face with it...† â€Å"Listen...do you want this piercing or not? I have a whole line of people waiting outside to be in this chair.† I stared in horror at the fearsome needle taunting me to challenge its glinting tip. I closed my eyes, prayed with every cell in my body for the pain to be minimal, and grimaced as she expertly twirled the needle between her fingers and then slid it through my flesh in one fluid motion. When I took a peek, I gaped cross-eyed at the foreign object jutting out of my nose and smiled. I don’t remember what state of mind I was in when I walked into the parlor, but I left victorious! Throughout history, people have decorated and modified the appearance of their bodies in many different ways. Nostril piercings are thought to have been adopted into the noble castes in the Middle East almost 4000 years ago. Nowadays, nostril piercings have been adopted by Christina Aguilera. In South America, Aztec and Mayan priests pierced their tongues as part of a ritual to communicate with their gods. In several African tribes, the beauty of women was determined by the size of plates that were fitted into their upper lips. In ancient civilizations of Egypt, a â€Å"perfect belly button† could elevate someone’s social standing. At that time, only Pharaohs and royal families could pierce their navels. Anyone else was promptly executed. A â€Å"perfect belly button†, however, could be a peasant’s ticket to a better life. The ancient Romans pierced their nipples (ouch) to show their strength and endurance. It is also theorized that their nipple jewelry he ld their cloaks in place! To this day, piercings have continued to capture human curiosity and fascination. The world record for the highest number of body piercings is one of the most volatile since it is constantly adjusting as each prickled being attempts to outdo the previous one. In 2002, Nathan Robitaille, 23, had 420 needles stuck into his arms, thus breaking the previous world record of 301 piercings.