The Middle East harbored the first known existence of the earring, probably around 3000 B.C. Like other pieces of jewelry in those days, the earring was not merely ornamental but an object with a distinct purpose and intention. Wearers of earrings wore such jewelry to showcase their social status, religious stance, political ideology, or tribal membership. By the time of the Common Era (starting from 0 BC), earrings incorporated gems and were bent and twisted, making the earring more of a creative piece of art, and thus, quickly spreading the fad around the world.
Products with Earrings
During the Middle Ages, when high collars and gigantic wigs were in fashion, the earring lost popularity. But during the 1600s, they reclaimed their attractiveness to the general public as hair trends shifted from tall and elaborate to pulled back, exposing the ears and providing a visible palette for earrings to be seen on. By the 1850s, the bonnet (which came hand in hand with tying the hair back) came in style, but this time the hair was pulled in front of the ears, totally concealing them. This new trend caused the popularity of earrings to temporarily plummet once again. The early 1900s saw the emergence of the clip-on earring, which meant that piercing the ear was no longer necessary in order to wear earrings. Males also began to wear earrings, especially sailors who viewed them as a symbol of the endeavors at sea.
Earrings have also been used for acupuncture purposes to improve eyesight and hearing. The sixties, seventies, and eighties saw massive spikes in popularity of the earring, with hippies, homosexuals, punk rockers, and women largely responsible.
Ear gauging is another type of ear piercing that is relatively new. Popular among young people, ear gauging is deliberately stretching a hole in the earlobe by gradually increasing the diameter of the earring each time it is replaced. The diameter of these gauges range anywhere from several millimeters to several inches, and the process is generally irreversible.
