Society ladies on Park Avenue selling tickets to a fair at Luna Park, Coney Island, May 16, 1922. Mrs. Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte (?!) is selling tickets at a kiosk.
Photo: Bettmann Archives/Getty Images/Fine Art America
The Beatles join Terry Hall, puppet Lenny the Lion, and cast members The Raindrops, Patsy Ann Noble and The Bert Hayes Octet, for a rendition of After You’ve Gone (1929) as part of their appearance on the kids show, Pops and Lenny.
Celebrated yearly on May 16, National Piercing Day is a fun observance that focuses on the art of piercings and its intriguing history. Are you a fan of body piercings? Maybe reading more about the day will convince you to get another one!
History of National Piercing Day
The art of piercings has existed for centuries and was not always used as a fashion statement. In fact, piercings have a different meaning for people belonging to varying cultures across the globe. This is why National Piercing Day was formed — to bring the history and importance of piercings to the forefront, as well as to spread awareness regarding the numerous forms and styles of body piercings across different cultural traditions.
For example, piercings were an essential part of the Native American religion where the act was performed during the Sun Dance ceremony to encourage powerful spiritual visions. Piercings are also said to have Ayurvedic benefits and were often done to cure ailments.
It is believed that National Piercing Day originated in 2007 when a group of individuals with an interest in body piercings joined forces and declared May 16 a day where the art of piercing is to be celebrated. While the day is still not officially recognized, it is gaining popularity yearly and is celebrated by piercing lovers across the U.S. Apart from promoting the cultural value of piercings and the history attached to the practice, National Piercing Day also celebrates piercing as an art form in today’s time and the essence of it as a medium of self-expression. Numerous piercing stores and boutiques around the country also offer discounts to customers on this day.
National Piercing Day timeline
3300 B.C. Pierced Iceman
The ears of Ötzi, a natural mummy found in the Austro-Italian Alps, are pierced 7–11 mm in diameter.
49–44 B.C. Do as the Romans Do
Julius Caesar brings piercings into fashion.
16th century The Elizabethan Era
A single ear piercing is seen as a sign of wealth and nobility.
1960s and 1970s The Nonconformists
Nose piercings become a part of the punk movement in the West.
National Piercing Day FAQs
What is the most popular body piercing?
The list includes ear-, nose-, and belly-button piercings.
What is the safest piercing to do yourself?
Earlobes are the safest area for piercing.
Can an 18-year-old sign off for a piercing?
Yes, but no one under 18 can be pierced without the consent of a legal guardian.
How to Celebrate National Piercing Day
Get a piercing
Read up on piercings in different cultures
Promote safe piercing
There’s no better way to celebrate the day than by getting a new piercing. Lucky for you, numerous piercing stores offer discounts on May 16!
There’s so much more to the art of piercing than we are aware of. Why not dedicate the day to finding out more about different piercing styles and stories from various cultures across the globe?
Make flyers regarding piercing safety and distribute them around your town. Numerous young people get unsafe piercings, therefore it is essential to educate them.
5 Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know About Piercings
The Guinness record for piercings
The Masai from Kenya
Earlobe piercing is common
It can cause infection
Piercing complications
Elaine Davidson has 9,000 piercings.
Adults from the tribe have lower lip piercings that are more than 6 inches big.
80% of American women have pierced ears.
Lip and tongue piercings can cause oral infections including gum disease.
A 1998 study revealed that 35% of piercings have complications.
Why We Love Piercings
We can adorn our bodies
They are trendy
Its an expression of body art
Piercings give us an opportunity to decorate our bodies with different accessories. In fact, a simple outfit can be uplifted by wearing the right earrings.
If done in the right places, piercings can be super fashionable and can add an edginess to your overall appearance.
For many people, piercings are a form of self-expression and art. Different areas of the body are pierced to showcase people’s individuality.
587 – St Brendan the Navigator, early transatlantic voyager, dies. In the Liturgical calendar, today is St Brendan’s Feast Day.
1907 – Birth of Robert Tisdall, gold medalist in the 400 meter hurdles at the 1932 Olympics.
1916 – The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the French Third Republic sign the secret wartime Sykes-Picot Agreement partitioning former Ottoman territories such as…
In 1975, Japanese climber Junko Tabei became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest. After returning from the summit, she said, "Technique and ability alone do not get you to the top; it is the willpower that is the most important. This willpower you cannot buy with money or be given by others. It rises from your heart."
10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 16 May:
Millions of people around the world celebrated the astronomical breakthroughs that have shaped science, technology and culture over the last century. The IAU100 celebrations highlighted the importance of astronomy as a tool for education, development and diplomacy.
The IAU calls for applications for workshops under the IAU Hands-On Workshops (I-HOW) initiative.
Proposals to organise one of these workshops should be submitted using the application form provided for that by email to one of the members of the I-HOW Steering Committee.
The call for workshops in 2024 is open; the deadline is 30 May 2023. See below for the procedure to prepare and submit your proposal.