An earring in a man's ear today surprises few people. Nevertheless, it would be untrue to say that the fashion for such jewelry has passed. She does not leave, but transforms. Once fashionable, rings are replaced by small carnations with rhinestones, diamonds or natural minerals.
Cossacks and clan ornaments
The history of wearing earrings among men in Russia began with the military Cossack movement. This subethnos appeared on the territory of Russia since the time when the Zaporozhye Sich became part of our state. The Cossacks who inhabited the Zaporozhye Sich did not become part of Russia completely, some of them went to Turkey, but the majority settled along the southern borders of the Russian Empire.
The earring in the ear of the Cossack indicated his status in the family. It is known that the only son of a single mother in the family, or the extreme man in the family where the male line ended, wore an earring in his left ear. In the right ear is the only son in the family. Two earrings in the right ear were worn by the only child in the family.
On the one hand, the earring was a protective talisman protecting the Cossack in battle. On the other hand, the commander saw who should be protected in battle. It is from here that the well-known command "Line up!" Originates in the army, the soldiers specially turned their heads to demonstrate to the commander the presence or absence of an earring in the right or left ear.
The history of men's wearing earrings in various cultures and subcultures
Interestingly, earrings originally appeared as male jewelry. For example, in Asian cultures for several millennia there is a tradition within which skilled craftsmen make jewelry for men. The ancient Egyptians also wore earrings in their ears, which was an indicator of high social status and wealth.
In ancient Rome, on the other hand, an earring in the ear indicated a slave, and in ancient Greece, a man earning a living by prostitution. In the gypsy tradition, an earring was threaded into the ear of the boy who was born after the death of the previous child. In the tradition of thieves, the earring in the ear indicates belonging to the "bottom of life" and the absence of fear of the church.
For pirates, each new ring in the ear indicated the next captured ship. Ordinary sailors put the earring in their ear as soon as they managed to cross the equator. “On land” such a sailor was very respected and among his colleagues much was allowed and forgiven.
Piercing in the 21st century
Today you won't surprise anyone with an earring in a man's ear. No special requirements are imposed on a man who decides to decorate himself with an earring, he should not have a special social status, somehow stand out against the background of other men. The symbolism of wearing earrings has weathered and transformed into a sign that attracts the attention of the opposite sex. It should be noted that the earring, as a hint of homosexuality, also no longer works, because a lot of young people of traditional orientation make punctures in their ears. At present, wearing an earring also has no practical or conceptual application.
