Галагазета | A Brief History of Kissing Across Cultures
A Brief History of Kissing Across Cultures Belle, 27 января 2016 г., 5:52
Snogging, smooching, necking - whatever you call it, everyone’s doing it. Or at least it seems that way, especially as Valentine’s Day approaches.
India: The first kiss is the sweetest.Some believe India to be the cradle of the modern romantic kiss, born from the ancient custom of ‘sharing’ one another’s breath. While the earliest evidence of kissing is thought to be preserved in early Indian sculptures, anthropologist Vaughn Bryant points to earlier Hindu scriptures that mentioned people "sniffing" with their mouths, and later described lovers "setting mouth to mouth." Bryant believes that the kiss spread to the West in the wake of Alexander the Great after he invaded India in 326 BC, when he was turned back at the Kyber Pass and made his way back to Europe.
Italy and Greece: Sealed with a kiss.If the Greco-Roman Empire didn’t invent the modern romantic kiss, the Italians and the Greeks certainly perfected it. That shouldn’t come as a surprise - the Romans were habitual kissers. In fact, kissing is one of their greatest legacies.
France: To kiss with tongues.While we have lots of things to thank France for - crepes, antibiotics, the pencil sharpener - the so-called ‘French Kiss’ is not one of them. In fact, the French didn't even have a verb to describe the most passionate of kisses until just a couple of years, when it was added to Le Petit Robert dictionary.
New Zealand: There’s the rub.Charles Darwin was one of the first to point out that kissing wasn’t practiced across all cultures. In his book The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, he noted that kissing "is replaced in various parts of the world by the rubbing of noses." Early explorers of New Zealand observed that the Maori pressed their noses and forehead together as a form of greeting.
Thailand: Sniff it out.Which bring us to Thailand. Here, like in other parts of Asia, the modern romantic kiss is far from widely accepted. In 1897, anthropologist Paul d'Enjoy observed that in many Asian cultures mouth-to-mouth kissing was considered an “abomination” - in fact, “a form of cannibalism”.
Japan: There are no words.Because kissing on the mouth was considered to be as intimate as sex - and therefore relegated to the bedroom - the first European travellers assumed that the Japanese didn’t kiss. In fact, until recently, Japan may not have even had a word for kissing - a pretty good indication that the practice (to the extent that it now exists) is a fairly recent phenomenon.
So, wherever you find yourself this Valentine’s Day, pucker up and share a kiss. It’s good for you! Just make sure you’re not breaking any local laws.
Source: www.gadventures.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-kissing-across-cultures/
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India: The first kiss is the sweetest.Some believe India to be the cradle of the modern romantic kiss, born from the ancient custom of ‘sharing’ one another’s breath. While the earliest evidence of kissing is thought to be preserved in early Indian sculptures, anthropologist Vaughn Bryant points to earlier Hindu scriptures that mentioned people "sniffing" with their mouths, and later described lovers "setting mouth to mouth." Bryant believes that the kiss spread to the West in the wake of Alexander the Great after he invaded India in 326 BC, when he was turned back at the Kyber Pass and made his way back to Europe. Italy and Greece: Sealed with a kiss.If the Greco-Roman Empire didn’t invent the modern romantic kiss, the Italians and the Greeks certainly perfected it. That shouldn’t come as a surprise - the Romans were habitual kissers. In fact, kissing is one of their greatest legacies. France: To kiss with tongues.While we have lots of things to thank France for - crepes, antibiotics, the pencil sharpener - the so-called ‘French Kiss’ is not one of them. In fact, the French didn't even have a verb to describe the most passionate of kisses until just a couple of years, when it was added to Le Petit Robert dictionary. New Zealand: There’s the rub.Charles Darwin was one of the first to point out that kissing wasn’t practiced across all cultures. In his book The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, he noted that kissing "is replaced in various parts of the world by the rubbing of noses." Early explorers of New Zealand observed that the Maori pressed their noses and forehead together as a form of greeting. Thailand: Sniff it out.Which bring us to Thailand. Here, like in other parts of Asia, the modern romantic kiss is far from widely accepted. In 1897, anthropologist Paul d'Enjoy observed that in many Asian cultures mouth-to-mouth kissing was considered an “abomination” - in fact, “a form of cannibalism”. Japan: There are no words.Because kissing on the mouth was considered to be as intimate as sex - and therefore relegated to the bedroom - the first European travellers assumed that the Japanese didn’t kiss. In fact, until recently, Japan may not have even had a word for kissing - a pretty good indication that the practice (to the extent that it now exists) is a fairly recent phenomenon. So, wherever you find yourself this Valentine’s Day, pucker up and share a kiss. It’s good for you! Just make sure you’re not breaking any local laws. Source: www.gadventures.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-kissing-across-cultures/
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