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Period: 1500 to
what its about
The lip plate, also known as a lip plug or lip disc, is a form of body modification. Increasingly large discs (usually circular, and made from clay or wood) are inserted into a pierced hole in either the upper or lower lip, or both, thereby stretching it. The term labret denotes all kinds of pierced lip, including plates and plugs. -
what the plate means
Many sources have suggested that the plate's size was a sign of social or economical importance in some tribes. However, because of natural mechanical attributes of human skin, the plate's size may often depend on the stage of stretching of the lip and the wishes of the wearer. -
the Plate
Africa, a lower lip plate is usually combined with the excision of the two lower front teeth, sometimes all four. Among the Sara people and Lobi of Chad, a plate is also inserted into the upper lip. Other tribes, such as the Makonde of Tanzania and Mozambique, used to wear a plate in the upper lip only. -
Who does this ritual
The Mursi and Surma Suri women of Ethiopia MURSI TRIBE
The Sara women of Chad ceased wearing plates in the 1920s
The Makonde of Tanzania and Mozambique ceased wearing plates several decades ago -
when it started
Archaeological evidence indicates that labrets have been independently invented no fewer than six times, in Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia 8700 BC, Mesoamerica 1500 BC, and coastal Ecuador 500 BC.
