Earring

Types of Earrings

• Helix/cartilage
• Industrial
• Rook
• Daith
• Tragus
• Modern standard pierced earrings
• Barbell earrings
• Claw earrings
• Statement earrings
• Stud/minimal earrings
• Heart earrings
• Hoop earrings
• Circular or semi-circular design
• Constructed of metal tubing with a thin wire attachment
• Continuous hoop earrings
• Sleeper earrings
• Dangle earrings
• Designed to suspend from the earlobes
• Vary in length from a centimeter to brushing the shoulders
• French hook design
• Huggy earrings

Location of Earrings

• Ear
• Rook
• Tragus
• Helix
• Across the helix

Earring Components

• Made of various materials (metal, plastic, glass, precious stone, beads, wood, bone)
• Designs range from small hoops and studs to large plates and dangling items
• Size limited by the physical capacity of the earlobe
• Heavy earrings can lead to stretching of the earlobe
• Healing time for ear piercings is 6-12 months

History and Popularity of Earrings

• Ear piercing is one of the oldest known forms of body modification
• Earrings found in ancient sites in India and Sumerian Royal Cemetery at Ur
• Gold, silver, and bronze hoop earrings prevalent in the Minoan Civilization
• Evidence of earring-wearing in Persia and Biblical record
• Earrings worn by Ainu, Turkic tribes, Korea, and Western Europe
• Ear piercing re-emerged in the Western world in the late 1950s/early 1960s
• Ear piercing parties and commercial locations for ear piercing
• Ear piercing became common among women in the early 1970s
• Amateur piercings and multiple piercings popular in the punk rock community
• Trend of male popular music performers and professional athletes with pierced ears

Other Types of Body Piercing Jewelry and Ear-piercing Methods

• Ball closure rings
• Barbells
• Circular barbells
• Plugs
• Flesh tunnels
• Clip-on earrings
• Magnetic earrings
• Stick-on earrings
• Spring hoop earrings
• Ear hook earrings
• Larger gauge rings
• Locking earrings
• Conch piercing
• Helix piercing
• Snug piercing
• Spiral piercing
• Piercing techniques
• Traditional methods of ear-piercing
• Ear-piercing instruments
• Alternative method using piercing needles
• Process of ear-piercing
• Tribal and neo-primitive methods

Earring Mentions

Earring Data Sources