Labret
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A labret is one form of body piercing. Taken literally, it is any type of adornment that is attached to the facial lip (labrum). However, the term usually refers to a piercing that is below the bottom lip, above the chin.
Among the ancient Aztecs and Mayans labret piercing was reserved for male members of the higher castes.
A less common name for the labret piercing is the "Mao." It is widely believed that this name originates from Mao Zedong's mole below his lower lip.[citation needed]
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[edit] Anthropology
The labret was a traditional piercing among the American Northwest Coast Indians, where it was related to status:
- access to labrets. After 3,500 BP, a divergence in labret wear in S and N coasts. In the N from 1.500 - 3,000 BP, more labrets worn by males. After 1,500 BP, labrets worn by females. In the S, between 2,000 - 3,500 BP, worn by males and females, but from 2,000 BP on, labrets generally disappear and are replaced by cranial deformation by free males and females of whatever class (e.g. elite or commoner). SO, for 4,000 years on the NWC, it was important to distinguish certain individuals in a very direct manner; either by cranial deformation or by labret wear. Gender and geographical region may also be identified by these methods. [1]
When a mask was being made to represent someone of high status, naturally enough, that mask had a labret.
[edit] Etymology
The word is from the Latin labrum, lip. It is pronounced /leɪ.brɛt/, i.e. the "t" is not silent as it is not a loan word from French.
