What does an earring in a man's ear mean?

Those distant times, when earrings in the ears were worn exclusively by the fair sex, are gone forever. Currently, men of different ages without hesitation complement their image with this accessory. For some it's a tribute to fashion or a commitment to a certain style, for others it's part of a subculture. One way or another, now any man can choose his earrings according to his taste preferences. What can indicate the presence of an earring in a man's ear? What is the historical context of such a tradition?

Features and history

The history of men wearing earrings dates back thousands of years. According to historians, representatives of the strong half of humanity began to wear earrings in their ears about 7 years ago. For example, in ancient Egypt only nobles close to the ruling class adorned themselves with this accessory. In ancient Rome the situation was completely different – ​​earrings were worn exclusively by slaves. An earring in the ear was considered a kind of slave trademark.

However, there was a period in history when earrings in the ears became a symbol of the fight against the forced imposition of church rules on society.

In the 13th century, the Vatican strictly prohibited Christians from piercing their body parts. This was because the Creator created people in His image and likeness, so it was not allowed to make artificial adjustments to His appearance. Opponents of violent church bans, most of them were the lowest strata of society, protesting against the violence of clergymen, began to wear earrings as a sign of disagreement. To a greater extent, it was about certain categories of people.

• The thieves. They in no way disdained to stand out in the crowd, thereby showing society that there are no laws for them.
• pirates. These guys pierced the earlobe and put a big gold ring in there when they managed to capture the ship.
• gypsies. They gave a mystical meaning to the earring in the ear – it was believed to bring good luck. They pierced the earlobe of newborns if the previous child in that family had died.
• Nomads.

In Renaissance Europe, earrings were worn by wealthy and noble men. Of course, these jewelry were made from expensive precious metals. To emphasize their high social status, men could wear an earring adorned with a precious stone. Representatives of the lower class at that time could afford to wear earrings made of copper or wood.

1. If a man had two pierced ears, then he was the only breadwinner in the family, and only he could give heirs to this family.
2. In the Orient, in the past, the wearing of earrings by men was very popular. Usually, these decorations indicated the high social status of their owner. Earrings were also made of non-ferrous metals and adorned with various precious stones.

Why are men now deciding to pierce their ears? There are several reasons for this.

1. Tribute to fashion. Many men wear earrings as a fashion trend. So, they complete their style and try to follow the fashion trends.
2. Like custom or tradition. Even in our progressive times, some representatives of the stronger sex have their ears pierced, following the traditions of their people or religion. For example, the widespread piercing of boys' ears is part of Hindu practices.
3. As a status symbol. Some men wear diamond or gold earrings to show off their wealth. They can also consider this jewelry as a safe investment that they can rely on during difficult times.
4. To attract women. Some guys get their ears pierced because they think girls find it sexy.

To which ear are they worn and what does it mean?

If women wear earrings only to decorate themselves or complement their fashionable image, then since ancient times an earring in a man's ear has acquired a deeper meaning. First of all, it mattered which ear the representative of the strong half of humanity decided to decorate with an earring.

In law

Nowadays, wearing earrings is a matter of personal taste, but in the last century, if a young man adorned his right ear with an earring, it told others that he considers himself a member of a sexual minority.

Of course, with the advent of the 21st century, the wearer of an earring on the right ear is not unambiguously perceived by society as a lover of homosexual relations.

A similar feature of his appearance can only indicate that this man is quite extravagant and is not afraid to express his individuality in every possible way.

To the left

Earring in a man's left ear only talks about the desire of a young man to add a touch of extravagance to his image. Very often, adolescents, adherents of a subculture or the so-called metrosexuals resort to this method to emphasize their individuality.

A small earring in the ear can emphasize the bright individuality of a man, his elegance and make him more attractive to the fair sex.

In both ears

Usually wear earrings on both ears, men try to demonstrate their complete independence from the opinions of others, especially if it comes to unusual models. In particular, it may indicate that this the guy considers himself a certain social groupis engaged in creative activity or belongs to a subculture.

The meaning of earring types

Many men consider earrings not only as a stylish accessory that can complement their fashionable image, but also as an object that once again emphasizes their belonging to a particular profession or a particular subculture. The shape of the earring can also reveal something about the character and habits of its owner.

1. Earings with clear geometric shapes prefer to wear men with a mathematical mindset and a fairly conservative outlook on life. These types of earrings are preferred by office workers, financiers, businessmen, bank employees.
2. Simple and elegant patternsfor example, miniature carnations with a diamond and barely noticeable decor indicate that a man wants to increase interest in himself among the weaker sex and once again demonstrate his high level of well-being.
3. Dangling earrings with intricate design prefer creative and extraordinary nature.
4. massive decorations representing images of animals, religious or magical symbols are appreciated by superstitious men or those prone to shock.

What models are worn?

Consider the most common and popular options for men's earrings, which are currently worn by the stronger sex.

• eyelets. These models are considered classics, so they are suitable for men who adhere to conservative views on fashion. The main positive feature of this form of earrings is their correspondence with almost all fashionable images and occasions.

Carnations are distinguished by their restraint and elegance, so a man does not have to worry about looking too defiant.

• Rings. The ring in the ear on the one hand brings a rebellious spirit to the appearance, but at the same time focuses on the majesty of a man.

• Tunnels and plugs. These two models of men's earrings are usually chosen by guys who are not afraid of bold experiments, because in order to show off in the tunnels, you will have to practically disfigure your earlobes. Such accessories help a man to shock the audience and emphasize his difference from others.

For people who do not dare to do such manipulations with their ears, there is a more “light” option to emphasize their bright individuality – wearing earplugs. These are jewelry similar in appearance to tunnels, however, to wear them you do not need to cut your earlobes.

• Clips. Such jewelry is suitable for those who do not mind complementing their image with beautiful earrings, while they do not want to make holes in their earlobes.

Traditions of different nations

Assyrians they wore earrings in the shape of a spear or wand, thus honoring the god Marduk, protector of Babylon. In ancient Egypt Earrings were worn by Egyptian pharaohs, including Ramses XII. He preferred products with a complex shape and at least 15 cm in length. Scandinavian countries earrings played more of a role not as a decoration, but as an amulet protecting against adversity. Vikings wore earrings, expecting that on dangerous sea voyages they would rescue them from a storm and rescue them in the event of a shipwreck. HAS Russian empire The fashion for men's earrings came with the veterans of the Caucasian War. Georgians and Armenians they decided to insert earrings in the boys' ears, thinking that this accessory would protect them from dangers and evils.

Soon the Russians adopted this custom. Men's earrings, in particular, were popular among equestrians.

Interesting facts

A lot of interesting facts are related to earrings.

1. Earrings with an English lock are the most in demand in the world – they have the highest degree of reliability.
2. There are jewelry, the cost of which is ten times higher than precious metal products. These include earrings with Swarovski crystals, the price of which is quite high, even if they are not made of noble metal.
3. The famous French monarch Henry II wore a pearl earring on his right ear.
4. In the Middle Ages, European sailors who crossed the equator on their ships wore a gold earring. Such decoration gave them privileges in the port taverns – only they were allowed to set foot on the table. For pirates, the earring said they had successfully captured a ship with gold.
5. In Russia, from the time of paganism and until the XNUMXth century, men wore simple earrings in their ears. However, in the era of the Muscovite kingdom, this custom fell into oblivion.
6. During the reign of the first Russian state emperor, Peter I, it was not customary for noble men to wear earrings. This was mainly due to the fact that at that time there was a fashion for long wigs that covered the ears. And only with the beginning of the era of the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna, when wigs took on a different shape (became shorter), nobles again began to flaunt themselves with earrings expensive to their ears, showing others their wealth and high social status.

For more information on the earring on a man's ear, see the following video.