Sometimes history is easy to trace. At others, the truth of the past is lost with the passage of time. One story that has gotten repeated quite a bit is that of the history of ancient Egyptian navel piercing.

The legend has it that navel rings were a popular body adornment of Pharoahs and the elite of society. The piercing was said to represent the passing from the world to the afterlife, as well as being a sybol of great social standing. Interesting too, while our modern culture considers navel rings to be an extremely feminine piece of body art, the ancient Egyptians apparently considered it an expression of masculine courage and power. Only the elite of society were permitted to wear navel piercings. Peasants caught with one were put to death, though the legend goes that a perfect piercing was grounds for forgiveness.

Though there are those who believe in this legend, there are those who say there is not enough historical evidence to support it. Perhaps the proof is out there, still burried beneath the sands of Egypt, and of time.