A study of the history of ear measurement indicates that the practice is as old as recorded human history. For men, this form of ear piercing has been a status symbol, while for women, in addition to being used as a means of body decoration, it has also been used to signify the achievement of femininity.
Ear measurement, which is also known as ear stretching, is the stretching of earlobe piercings to larger diameters than the original piercing. It is a form of enhancement or beautification of the body that many young Westerners adopt to look ‘different’ from the usual crowd. However, this is not a modern form of body piercing as it has been around for as long as archaeological records exist.
In many cases, hearing measurement has historically been used to indicate the position of members of a specific tribe, and in many respects this is still the situation today. Stretched piercings have been, and continue to be, a reflection of the sexual capacity of the individual and also of his superiority over other men of the tribe. The greater the stretch, the more important the individual will be.
Otzi the Iceman is a prime example of mummies known to have stretched-out ears. This is the oldest known example of ear measurement, Otzi had 7-11mm ear piercings during 3300 BC. It has been suggested that the stretching of the ears seen in depictions of Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the Buddha, may have been caused by the weight of the gold jewelry he wore, but this is a guess.
However, it is supported by the fact that the Masai tribe of Kenya and the Lahu and Karen-Paduang peoples of Thailand use this “gravity” technique to stretch their piercings. Let’s take a look at the ear measurement practices used today by various cultures.
A. Mursi Tribal Women
The Mursi are an Ethiopian tribe where women are required to wear ear and lower lip plates. About a year before her marriage, or around 15 years of age, her mother will pierce a Mursi girl’s lip and push a wooden dowel through the incision.
Once healed, the pin is changed for one with a larger diameter. Eventually the peg is replaced by a clay or wooden plate, and this plate is successively exchanged for larger diameter ones until the required diameter is reached, around 8 to 22 cm in diameter (3 to 9 inches). Once these plates have been secured, she is given a higher degree of respect than those without, and is known as ‘Bhansanai’.
These lip and ear plates do not need to be worn permanently, but are an expected adornment on special occasions, such as weddings and other celebrations, and when serving food to men. Today, young women can usually make up their own minds as to whether or not to follow this tradition.
B. The Masai People of Kenya
The practice of measuring the ears has been common among Masai men and women for thousands of years. However, in recent years, most young men have not followed this custom, although many Maasai women can still be found wearing ear ornaments made of stones, cross-cut elephant tusks, wood, and animal bones.
The original piercing is done with a thorn, a sharp twig, or a sharp knife point. Once healed, the ears are trimmed using increasingly heavy jewelry that pulls the lobe down and stretches the piercing. This is the traditional way of measuring ears in more primitive cultures, although today many Masai use proper techniques for measuring ears, such as their own versions of tapered inserts or tapered tips. Beads are a common form of ornamentation, although bone plugs, tusks and wood are also used.
C. The African Fulani tribe
Fulani women of Nigeria and Central Africa tend to wear smaller diameter earmuffs and decorate them with large gold domes or hoops that carry earrings. A Fulani boy will have his ears pierced around the age of 3, though they may not get their ears stretched until he is older. The gauges worn by Fulani women are relatively small compared to the Maasai and Mursi, although jewelry can be larger.
D. Asian hill tribes
Of the various hill tribes, the only two known to practice ear measurement are the Lahu of Thailand and the Karen-Padaung (Long Neck) of Myanmar (Burma) and also of Phrae Province in Thailand. This latter tribe is best known for their neck rings, which offer the appearance of long necks, but both cultures believe that the ear is sacred and the more jewelry they can wear, the better. By measuring their ears, they can wear as much jewelry as they think possible.
E. Mexican and Central American civilizations
In Mayan and Aztec society, having your ears measured was considered desirable for men. There are many Mayan depictions of men wearing flares and ear plugs (ear reels) in calibrated ears, and the material used was indicative of the social position of the wearer. The upper classes wore jade earplugs, while the rest wore bone, stone, wood, and other materials. In central Mexico, the craftsmanship of the Aztecs is evident in gold and silver earplugs and ornaments, although the lower classes adorned their earlobes with shells, copper, and wood, among many other imaginative materials.
Ear measurement has been carried out all over the world, and among other notable areas involved in this practice is Japan, where the Ainu wore ear jewelry made of shell, bone, and a ball and ring known as Ninkari. There are many other cultures around the world where ear plugging was a part of their life, and even today many people consider ear stretching to be a fashion statement and a way to express their own personality and individuality.