Body modification is a universal art form that has been practiced for thousands of years.
It is done for such motivations as sexual enhancement, a rite of passage, aesthetic reasons, denoting affiliation, trust and loyalty, religious or mystical affiliations, shock value, and self-expression. Piercing is one of the most mainstream forms of body modification today, including in the United States. It has its origins in Iraq and Iran 4000 years ago, and Cyprus 2200 years ago. It was also done in Tlingit of Southeast Alaska in 1918 to denote the status of children. The more piercings a child had, the higher ranking he or she would be.