Historical signifigance of piercings

daveJAM

I recently came accross this while researching piercings and find it to be quite fascinating. Here's some info I've found on my own piercings.

Fraenulum (Frenum)

"Amongst the Timorese of Indonesia, the Frenulum beneath the glans penis is pierced with brass rings, the function of the ring is to enhance stimulation during sex."

The practice of piercing of the foreskin for the insertion of jewellery is as old as circumcision, and is of immemorial antiquity, going back far beyond the earliest recorded history. During the games of Ancient Greece, the athletes performed nude, and to prevent their penises moving about they bound the foreskin with a ribbon and tied it to the base of the penis. This ribbon. or leather thong was called the "Kynodesme" from the Greek "Kuon" foreskin, and "Desmos" fastening band. This temporary practice probably led to the permanent piercing of the foreskin, either to prevent slaves and athletes from having sex, or to prevent them from having erections. The Roman's used a practice called Infibulation, it involved two piercings going through the foreskin (or Labia in women) and a lock (Fibula) being placed therein.


Nipple Piercing

Roman Centurions wore leather armour breast plates which were shaped to fit the body and rings were sometimes placed in these breastplates where the nipples appeared to be, the rings were used to hang a cape from. This has led to the belief by some people that the actual nipples were pierced to hang a cape from, but anybody who has had their nipples pierced would tell you that this would be a very uncomfortable practice.


I found the nipple story so fascinating that I've been inspired to get my other nipple pierced, for the sake of completeness almost.

Has anyone else been so inspired by the historical signifigance of a piercing, to actually get the piercing? Maybe ppl could post up some piercing stories that they've discovered about their own piercings, or even just ones that they've found quite entertaining.