Body Modification Origins

Body piercing history is human history. Nipple piercing is a piercing, centered usually at the base of the nipple. Body piercing history dates as far back as the beginning of humanity. Body modification has long been a favorite form of art for humans, and piercing is a vital part of that. People with modern body piercing are often called modern primitives, with good reason. Current body piercing is simply a modern form of a very primitive art. There are many other civilizations over the years that have added to the world’s body piercing history. Both ear and body piercings were signs of success in ancient Egyptian societies. They took piercing codes very seriously, for example, only the Pharaoh was permitted to have a navel piercing to distinguish him. Additionally, some other body piercings were restricted to royalty alone.

With each new discovery in the field of human history, we find new evidence about the history of body piercing. Every new mummy or grave site helps yield further information into the history and evolution of this still popular art form. So there is no definitive history when it comes to body piercing. Body piercing history is human history. Body piercing is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn. Did you know that the culture norms reflected in body piercing are various? They may include religious, spirituality, fashion eroticism, and sub cultural identification; for example hippies might have pieced their bodies as a sign of peace, love, creativity, and individually in the 1960s and 1970s. In addition, from a religious standpoint, some Jewish people believe that piercing any body part is wrong; however many Jewish people have pierced their ears. It is also impressive to know that body piercing history goes back to ancient times.

Body modification is as much a choice as religion, which is included in equal opportunity employment.

Bodymodification is an ancient tradition in many cultures. It can be a matter of contention in certain places. Opinion is split. There are those who consider body modification a form of self mutilation while others see it as self expression. One thing is certain, it is an ancient practice of permanently altering one's physical appearance. It is transforming of the general human body make-up for a variety of reasons. However, it could be argued that today's body modification has been taken to dangerous extremes.

Body modification has been significant parts of human culture as far back as records indicate. It is just a way for people to look how they wish to look. It has exploded into a new generation, and with it comes many controversies.

Related articles

• Body Modification In the Name of Fashion
• Body Modification Through History
• Types of Body Modification
• Attitudes Around The World
• Where Does Body Modification End And Mutilation Begin?

Bachelor's Break 2012 : Sweden

Last month, a group of us decided to go on a boys only trip! It was fantastic, ten days of living it up as bachelors – drinking beer, eating junk and just hanging with the guys. It's not that any of us wishes we were single, but we just love some guy time! Women are exactly the same! The girls have their own trip planned in September. Four our 'Bachelor's Break' we went to the beautiful country of Sweden. Sweden is of course part of Scandinavia I north Europe and it is perhaps best known for being eco-friendly and progressive. It probably isn't that common a holiday destination in comparison to Spain or Greece, but there is still plenty to see and do. Here are my top 5 recommendations for things to visit in Sweden.

1. Stockholm Museums – I am grouping several attractions together here, but the city of Stockholm is home to some wonderful museums. Vasa Museum presents the seventeenth century warship of the same name – or what's left of it. The resurrected skeleton is on display along with many recovered relics. There is also the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Modern Art and the Nordic Museum.
2. Liseberg Amusement Park – Bachelor's Break would not be complete without a trip to an amusement park and Gothenburg is home to of of the largest in Europe. We had an absolute blast on the rides, especially the star attractions 'Atmosfear' which is Europe's tallest freefall ride and 'Balder' one of the world's biggest wooden rollercoasters.
3. Gothenburg –While in Gothenburg for the rollercoasters, why not take advantage of the other attractions the largest port in Scandinavia has to offer. We went for a walk around Castle Wood Park and stopped by the Museum of Art. The music scene is also alive and kicking and we caught a gig by death metal band Dark Tranquillity.
4. Hiking & Boating – Of course, the Bachelor Break is also a good opportunity to pursue more manly activities and the largely untouched expanse of Sweden's northern regions is perfect for hiking thanks to its rugged beauty. The 100,000 lakes and rivers also make it a perfect place for boating.
5. Skiing – The Arefjallen Resort offers over one hundred kilometres of ski runs and is the host of many snowboarding championships. In the Spring months 24/7 skiing is available.

The History of Ear Stretching

Ear stretching, or "gauging" an earlobe piercing, is one of the oldest known forms of body art in existence. Ear stretching is not new, and is as old as history itself. Ear stretching has been popular for centuries, but this popularity has increased in Western culture in recent years. Ear stretching is also associated with certain social cliques and subcultures. Ear stretching is popular for a number of reasons, but mainly because people are seeking new ways to be different. Ear stretching is still carried out all over the world for a variety of reasons, including those mentioned above.

Ear stretching, whilst a relatively new practice in western civilization, has long been practices for centuries by indigenous tribes from all over the world. While today we have devolved specialized earring for the purpose, this was not the case for indigenous peoples. Ear stretching is popular in Western culture, but individuals modify the ear for many different reasons, including religious, spiritual or just for fun. Ear stretching has been practised for hundreds of years by indigenous people for various rituals in countries like Africa, South America, and most recently exploding in North America and Europe. In many ways this ear stretching is a testament to the ingenuity of these cultures.

Plugs are large-gauge earrings that go all the way through a stretched earlobe. Plugs are the jewelry that a person wears in their stretched earlobes. Plugs are solid, while tunnels are hollow and have a hole that you can see through. Plugs are available in hundreds of different styles, from elaborately carved bone and wood to clear silicone. Plugs are generally solid and you will find them with various designs.

Ear stretching affects the ear tissue in a much different way from traditional piercings. Ear stretching is essentially widening a healed hole in the ear lobe and placing a plug or tunnel in the pierced hole. Ear stretching blow outs are normally caused by stretching to quick, this is why it's imperative to allow plenty of time between moving up in sizes when ear stretching. Many find ear stretching a fabulous way to look different and express their individuality, although it may not be for everybody. This is because ear stretching should not be rushed, lest you cause long-lasting damage to your ears.

Avoid Mold and Mildew In Tents

One thing I love to do is go camping. There is something rugged and masculine about the great outdoors. However, one thing I have learned from the camping experience is that Mother Nature likes to throw us a curve ball now and then and if you are not carefully about maintaining your equipment you should end up with mold and mildew stains and odour, and that is the last thing you need.

If you do not want to find yourself with an unwanted mold problem, then you must take car of your camping gear and tent. Mold and mildew can only grow if there is moisture. Of course, some time you are going to experience rain while camping, but you must make sure that you properly dry all of your equipment, especially your tent before putting it away. Packing a tent away while wet is a sure way to get mold. It must be stored in a manner which allows air to circulate. What I usually do is shake off what moisture I can and pack it up to head home. As soon as I get home I open out the tent and leave it to dry properly – usually in the kitchen. Once it is dry I repack it in its storage bag, but I don't fasten the bag to allow addition air flow. Since I started doing this I haven't had any issues with mold in my tent.

However, sometimes even if you are careful, you might end up with a bit of a musty smell if the tent has not been used in a while. However, this is fairly easy to get rid of. Simply wash the tent down with a solution of water and Lysol (a half cup of Lysol to a gallon of water) or you can substitute the Lysol for some lemon juice and salt (one cup of each). Rinse it off thoroughly with fresh water and then allow it to air dry outdoors. This will clean the tent, air it out and remove any odour. Enjoying camping should be a fun experience, don't let mold ruin it!

Getting Around South Africa

A friend of mine is heading to South Africa for a holiday and he was asking me about getting around while he is here. The thing is, that while South Africa is becoming increasingly popular as a tourist destination with people from America and Europe, and our rail network has undergone some big improvements, for the most part out public transport is really quite unreliable and in certain areas it is down right dangerous. That's why I told him he needs to rent a car while he is here. It not only solves the transport issues, but it opens up a whole new category of attractions to visit which are not really accessible without a car.

South Africa actually covers a massive area of land mass and some of the major cities are thousands of kilometers apart! My buddy is going to be doing what a lot of American tourists do and doing a city tour. He will fly into Johannesburg to visit with us for a bit, and then take his rental car and drive to the East coast and hit Durban and Port Elizabeth before following the coast around to the Western Cape and visiting Cape Town. He is not sure whether he is going to just fly back from Cape Town or drive back to Johannesburg, but either way I think he is going to have a great time. It's going to give him the chance to see some of the gorgeous landscapes South Africa has to offer and see some of the country that he might not otherwise get to see. I love having the opportunity to do that when I visit some place new.. I shy away from the busy tourist spots and seek out hidden gems!

Fancy Holidaying In An Asbestos Mine?

I was bored at work today and decided to swing by a few of the travel blogs and magazine sites that I enjoy. I guess subconsciously looking for some possible destinations for my future travels! Anyway, I came across an interesting article about a town called... Asbestos! Now for those who don't know – asbestos is a building material which was really popular in the 1950's – until of course it because apparent that the fibres were actually a carcinogenic and many construction workers were diagnosed with fatal illnesses as a result of asbestos poisoning. It is pretty much safe as long as it is left alone, but when you try to remove it or when it is disturbed by construction work it becomes really dangerous. So as you can see, it's a pretty unfortunate name for a town!


The article was a couple of years old, but basically it was talking about how the small mining town of Asbestos in Canada was hoping to attract a booming tourism industry despite their name, in fact they were intending to play on it. The main attraction on offer was cited as Jeffrey Mine, a 2km wide pit that is almost as big as the surrounding town. Developers were intending to turn the pit into an “adventure paradise” with ATV tracks and bicycle routes. There was also the possibility of rock climbing. The project co-ordinator at the local tourist board was quoted as saying, “It's like a great big sand pit, a gigantic playground!”


Sounds, pretty cool right? Here is me ready to add it to the list – until l read a little more! Want to know why the town is called Asbestos in the first place? I bet you can already guess! Turns out Jeffery Mine is actually an asbestos mine! Yup, that's right.. they want to turn an asbestos mine into a tourist attraction! What the hell? Really?


Asbestos is actually the home of the cancer causing mineral of the same name and has come under fire for exporting to China and India when demand in North America plummeted for obvious reasons! Locals claim that the information about the health risks of asbestos are all false and embellished for sensationalism. I don't know.. try telling that to the people dying in hospices all over the world.


I think I'm gonna skip this one!

Last Tango In London?

After my trip to Poland last month for the Euros, my girlfriend has been making noises about maybe hopping over to London to catch some of the Olympic fever! I really don't know if she can get time off work or if we can manage to afford the trip just yet, but I decided to take a look around and see if I was able to price up a few cheap flights to London. During my research I came across a blog which was reporting that SAA are looking at dropping their London to Cape Town route because it is not profitable. Thankfully for us they are still (at the moment anyway) running the London to Johannesburg route, so if we are able to swing it we would still be able to get a direct flight to the UK.

It seems like such a shame because I know South African Tourism are putting a huge amount of effort into promoting our nation as a tourist hub. However, it seems that our visitors are no longer coming to South Africa from the United Kingdom or from North America. The focus is now very much on Asian visitors especially those from India and China. It seems that the main reason why the London to Cape Town route was dropped was to do with the high Air Passenger Duty being charged on flights coming here from the UK, this has led to a decline in the number of travellers and because of soaring fuel prices, the airlines just cannot afford to keep the flights running without passenger demand. It's sad in a way. People think oh it doesn't affect us, but it does. Think about it logically, if they aren't flying here from London, that means that they are not flying back either.