In which region did the nose ring fashion originate?

Nose rings have navigated their way into Western culture expeditiously. However, this fashionable piercing has a rich spiritual history and symbolic presence from the Middle East. This is no new-age ritual either; nose rings have been a tradition for over 4,000 years. In fact, nose rings are the oldest and most universally pierced part of the body.

While nose rings represent a stigma in Western society, they’re a sacred tradition in Eastern cultures. The Middle East is the birthplace of the nostril ring, with the first record of nostril piercings tracing back 4,000 years. In the book of Genesis, Abraham’s servant gifts young Rebekah an array of jewelry as a marriage offering on behalf of her future husband, Isaac. Among the gifts and trinkets was a golden earring called a “Shanf” also known as a nose ring.

Later, the Mogul Empire from Central Asia made nostril piercings a popular and common practice in India in the 16th century. Perhaps our most familiar cultural image of nostril piercings is the Indian nose piercing featuring beautifully ornate chains falling decoratively across a women’s cheek and attaching to her ear.