Piercing Fashion Flash: East Meets West

Nose Chains   Did you know that the nose chain originated in India?  In traditional Indian medicine, or Ayurveda, piercing of the female nose is said to improve feminine health.  In Indian marriage ceremonies, a chain would be worn reaching from such a nose piercing to the bride’s hair or her ear, and on the […]

Nose Chains

 Indian nose chains

Did you know that the nose chain originated in India?  In traditional Indian medicine, or Ayurveda, piercing of the female nose is said to improve feminine health.  In Indian marriage ceremonies, a chain would be worn reaching from such a nose piercing to the bride’s hair or her ear, and on the night of the honeymoon, the husband would remove the it.  This signified the onset of a woman’s child-bearing years, and her social transition into family life.

 nose to ear chain jewelry

Plugs

 Buddha depicted with stretched ears

Ear stretching has occurred in nearly every culture since the beginning of time, but perhaps one of the most noticeable links to it can be found in Asia.  That would be the iconic depiction of the Happy Buddha.  You’ll notice that the Buddha’s ears are often depicted as  having stretched lobes: this is to account for his prior life station as princely figure Siddhartha Gautama.  The lobes are stretched, literally from the weight of his wealth, as those of high social standing often wore heavy golden earrings.

Organic wooden trumpet tunnels