A labret is a form of

body piercing Body piercing, which is a form of body modification, is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn, or where an implant could be inserted. The word ''piercing'' can refer to ...

. Taken literally, it is any type of adornment that is attached to the lip (labrum). However, the term usually refers to a piercing that is below the bottom lip, above the chin. It is sometimes referred to as a "tongue pillar" or a "soul patch piercing".

Pronunciation

The traditional pronunciation of ''labret'' in anthropology is . It derives from the Latin ''labrum'' "lip" and the

diminutive A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A ( abbreviated ) is a word-form ...

suffix ''-et.'' However, many in the body-piercing industry give it the pseudo-French pronunciation , though the French word is in fact borrowed from the English.''How do YOU Say L-a-b-r-e-t?''
(note: the etymology here is false.)

Anthropology

The labret was a traditional piercing among the American Northwest Coast Indians, where it was related to status:

"access to labrets. After 3,000 BP, a divergence in labret wear in north and south coasts. In the north from 1500 - 3500 BP, more labrets worn by males. After 1500 BP, labrets worn by females. In the south, between 2000 - 3500 BP, worn by males and females, but from 2000 BP on, labrets generally disappear and are replaced by
cranial deformation Artificial cranial deformation or modification, head flattening, or head binding is a form of body alteration in which the skull of a human being is deformed intentionally. It is done by distorting the normal growth of a child's skull by applying ...
by free males and females of whatever class (e.g. elite or commoner). So, for 4,000 years on the northwest coast, 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."

When a mask was being made to represent someone of high status, that mask would likewise have a labret. Native American woman known as Skak-Ish-Stin wearing Hudson's Bay Co blanket and labret in lower lip, Alaska, ca 1904 (NOWELL 85)

Native American woman known as Skak-Ish-Stin wearing Hudson's Bay Co blanket and labret in lower lip, Alaska, ca 1904 (NOWELL 85)

The wearing of labrets was widely observed among

Tlingit The Tlingit ( or ; also spelled Tlinkit) are indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. Their language is the Tlingit language (natively , pronounced ),

women of high status at the time of European and American arrivals in

Southeast Alaska Southeast Alaska, colloquially referred to as the Alaska(n) Panhandle, is the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Alaska, bordered to the east and north by the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia (and a small part ...

. The Russian term for the Tlingit, ''Koloshi'', derived from an Alutiiq word for labret. Based on analysis of the history and social context of the labret (lip plug) on the Northwest Coast of British Columbia over the last 5,000 years, Marina LaSalle asserts that "while simple correlations of the labret with 'status' and 'gender' are not wrong, nonetheless they betray the complexity of body ornamentation which, though manifested materially, is highly contextual" and that "the labret is a symbol and expression of social identity that continues to hold significant meaning for the descendants of this heritage."

Types of labret piercings

In contemporary styles, there are several different labret variations based on precisely where the piercing is positioned on the lower lip. These include a vertical labret (pierced with a curved barbell through the top of the lower lip rather than in front of the lip tissue), snake bites (dual piercings close together reminiscent of fangs), spiderbites (dual piercings very close together on the same side of the face), and a lowbret, which is placed as low as possible toward the chin. The initial piercing is usually done at 1.2, 1.6 or 2.0 mm diameter. After initial healing, the piercing can be (gradually) further stretched. Some people choose to stretch to sizes over 10 mm, and the jewelry worn at these larger sizes is usually a round or oval 'labret plug'. Body Jewellery
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References

External links

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BMEZine: Lip PiercingBMEZine: Labret PiercingBMEZine: Labret StudPlughog.com: Labret Stretching Guide
{{Body Piercing Facial piercings Body piercing jewellery

Pronunciation

Anthropology

Types of labret piercings

See also

References

External links