Pairs of earrings for sale at a roadside stand in Costa Rica.

Pierced ear with traditional starter stud

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Earrings

An earring is a piece of jewelry that is worn on the ear. They are worn by both genders, although until recently in western cultures, they were more typically worn by women, but are making a comeback in males. more...

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Earrings are attached to the ear through a piercing in the earlobe or some other external part of the ear, except in the case of a clip earring, which clips onto the lobe. Common locations other than the earlobe for piercings include the rook, tragus, or across the helix. The simple term "ear piercing" usually refers to an earlobe piercing, whereas piercings in the upper part of the external ear are often referred to as "cartilage piercings." Cartilage piercings are more complex to perform than earlobe piercings, and take longer to heal.

Earring components can be made out of any number of materials, including metal, plastic, glass, precious stones and beads. Designs can range from small loops or studs to large plates or dangling items. The size is generally limited by the physical capacity of the earlobe to hold the earring without tearing. People who habitually wear heavy earrings may find that over time, the earlobe and piercing stretch.

Earrings are worn around the world in most cultures, both currently and historically. In many cultures, it is common to pierce the ears of young girls soon after birth. This has become somewhat controversial because of its involuntary nature. Although not as common as with females, ear piercing among males has also become popular in North America and Europe.

History

Ear piercing is one of the oldest known forms of body modification, with artistic and written references from cultures around the world dating back to early history. One of the early signs of earrings worn by males are from the walls of Persepolis in ancient Persia, the carved images of the soldiers from various parts of the Persian Empire which are displayed on some of the surviving walls of the palace shows the soldiers wearing an ear ring. The Greeks sometimes put ear rings on statues.

In southern India, most children, both boys and girls, will get their ears pierced in religious ceremony before they are about 5 years old. Infants may get their ears pierced as early as seven months.

Pierced ears were popular in the United States through the early 1920s, then fell into disfavor among women due to the rising popularity of clip-on earrings. There continued to be a small male following, however, particularly among sailors, where a pierced earlobe often meant that the wearer had sailed around the world or had crossed the equator. In rare instances, a pierced left earlobe could indicate a sailor's survival of a ship wreck. There was also a long-held belief that puncturing the earlobe was beneficial to increasing the acuity of eyesight (see acupuncture) or of hearing (perhaps through resonance).