NOSE RINGS

Nose rings are pieces of jewelry that are worn through a hole pierced in the nose. Although nose rings seem new and radical to many Americans, they actually date back to ancient cultures and are traditional in many societies. There are three general types of nose piercings: nostril piercings on the outside of the nose, septum piercings through the cartilage separating the nostrils, and bridge piercings across the top of the nose.

Many kinds of jewelry can be worn through nasal piercings, including nose rings, studs, and barbells. Nose rings, like earrings and other body piercings, are usually made of metals such as gold, surgical steel or titanium. Some jewelry is also made of polished bone.Nose rings originated in the Middle East and became popular in India in the 16th century. The Bible mentions nose rings in Genesis 24:22, after Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for his son and the servant chooses Rebekah: "When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold ring weighing half a shekel, which he fastened on her nose, and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels, which he put on her wrists." Nose rings are traditionally worn by women in Indian cultures, where a ring worn in the left nostril is believed to make childbirth easier. Nose rings gained popularity in America and other industrialized Western nations around the end of the 20th century, especially in punk and youth culture. There is somewhat of a stigma against them and many dress codes for schools and businesses in the United States do not allow nose rings. Nose rings are gradually becoming more acceptable, however, mostly in urban areas.