Body piercing is an ancient art with roots in ritual, status, and beauty, seen in cultures from ancient Egypt (pharaohs' gold earrings) and Mesopotamia (Sumerians for deities) to Mesoamerica (Mayan tongue piercings for gods) and South Asia (Indian nose rings for marriage/tradition)

. Practices evolved from rites of passage (tribal lip/septum piercings for strength) to cultural adornment (Malawi lip plates for beauty/status) and later, in the 20th century, shifted from counterculture defiance (punks, hippies) to mainstream self-expression, with navel piercings becoming popular.