What is beautiful? Some people consider the human body an image of God, and therefore, a thing of beauty. However, since ancient times, humans have tried to change their physical appearances to achieve what they believed to be ultimate beauty. Here are five strange body-modifications performed in various parts of the world, in the name of beauty:
Foot-binding
It’s hard to believe such a gruesome custom could become so popular, but foot binding was practiced by many Chinese women, for approximately 1000 years.
At 3 to 10 years of age, before their bones were fully developed, young girls had their toes and foot-arches broken and were forced to wear tight shoes, in order to have tiny, beautiful feet. This practice was first adopted by Chinese royalty, but over the years it spread to all social classes. Only the poorest peasant women didn’t have their feet bound because they had to be able to work hard.
The binding ritual was repeated every day and the bindings were pulled tighter each time, making it more and more painful. After the binding, the young women were not allowed to rest. They were forced to take long walks, so that the weight of their bodies would crush the feet in the “correct” shape. Many times the toes would simply fall-off from infection and that was considered a good thing, because the feet could be bound even tighter.
This horrible custom was banned in 1911 but there are still some old women with bound feet around China. They have trouble sitting up and their feet look anything but beautiful.
Lip-stretching
A large clay or wooden disc inserted in a pierced lower lip may not be considered a beautiful thing in the western world, but for some African and Amazonian tribes it is “a must”.
Women of African tribes, like Mursi or Surma, have their lips pierced around the age of 15-18, six months before their marriage. Two, sometimes four of the lower front teeth are removed and a 1-2 cm incision is performed. A small wooden peg is placed inside the cut, and, 2-3 weeks later, after the wound has healed, a larger peg is inserted.
The first clay plug is crafted by the bearer herself, and many women take great pride in adding ornamentation. The final diameter of the plates ranges between 8-16 cm and some researchers say they are a sign of social importance within the tribe. The larger the clay plug, the more important its bearer inside the tribal community.
After the wedding, the lip plugs are removed leaving the lip wrinkled and hanging.
Scarification and Cicatrization
Still very popular in many African countries, New Guinea and even New Zealand, scarification is considered an important aesthetic component.
In African tribes scarification is performed on both men and women, using a sharp instrument to incise in such a manner as to control the shape of the resulting scar tissue. Cicatrisation involves caustic plant juices, charcoal and gunpowder being rubbed over the wounds, causing permanent blisters, known as keloids. Not only are these forms of body-modification considered aesthetically pleasing, but they transmit complex social messages.
Members of the Maori tribe, in New Zealand, feel their bodies are incomplete if they aren’t covered with traditional scarred tattoos, called moko. Nowadays moko are tattooed using a tattoo-gun, but in the old days they were branded into the skin with the uhi, an instrument similar to the chisel. That left the skin filled with grooves.
Skull-binding
Evidence of cranial binding dates back to 45,000 BC and, although extreme practices have not been recorded in the past 100 years, mild forms of skull binding are still practiced today in various parts of Africa and South America.
As you know, an infant’s skull is relatively soft and malleable. Cranial binding is done by wrapping the infant’s head in cloth or rope, sometimes adding wooden splinters, for extra pressure. The skull usually becomes elongated, but there are extreme cases of bi-lobed, heart-shaped skulls.
It is believed skull binding was done to demonstrated social status, and it may have played a great role in ancient Egyptian culture, as Queen Nefertiti and King Tutankhamen were often depicted with elongated heads.
Neck-stretching
The women of the Kayan tribe, located in Burma and northern Thailand, are famous for having the longest necks in the world. Technically, their necks don’t become longer, but the deformation of the clavicle gives that impression.
Girls around five years old are fitted with brass rings around their necks, which push against the clavicle and compress the ribcage. Over time longer rings are added to make their necks seem slender, a trait of beauty in Kayan culture.
Contrary to popular belief, the brass coils are not necessarily permanent, although the process of removing them can prove quite difficult. The women don’t suffocate if they remove the coils, but they prefer to keep them on, as they become a part of their bodies after ten years or more.
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