Piercings and Tattoos or Inked Royals

[Romanov_fan]

Anyway, it could have been because of the heavy earrings. I doubt it was intentional, because if you pierce your ears low, and then wear heavy earrings, the results aren't that good! If you want to wear heavy earrings you should pierce high. But of course, back then, ear piercing was less advanced, so it is possible they pierced them low. But more than likely such low piercings were because of  the heavy earrings that they would wear on some occasions.

[Russian_Duchess_#5]

How did they pierce ears back then??

[Mie]

Maybe by needle they heated in the fire that bakteries died and just like that.. at least that what I've red. Then they put a silk thread trhought the ear..

[Margarita Markovna]

They used needles, it was usually either really hot or really cold.

[Ortino]

They used needles, it was usually either really hot or really cold.

What would be accomplished by it being hot? They probably numbed the ear with ice or another agent and then pierced the ear.

[Russian_Duchess_#5]

Yes, thats what I thought.....
that they place an ice cube over the ear...then they sterilized the needle (hopefully), and heated the needle through a flame. But not to let it burn, of course.
Next, they removed the ice very quickly, and also very quick they placed some sort of cushion under the ear (in the back of the earlobe) so that the needle wouldnt go all the way theough the ear (that would be traumatic!). I once saw it in a movie done with a slice of an apple...so that it would stop the nededle from going through all the way.

[Russian_Duchess_#5]

Were tats done the same way as now? Except with the machine that they use powered from gas? Or were they made the old tribal way?

[Margarita Markovna]

That's what I meant, they sterilized the needle through a flame.

[Elizabeth_Leona]

any idea how old they were when piercing took place?

My mom froze and pierced her own ears with a needle  

[Romanov_fan]

It would certainly be interesting to estabilish how old they were when their ears were pierced. On public occasions, it seems they wore very heavy earings, but I suppose in private not so much, although you do see in old photos, royal women wearing heavy earrings. I would think that would drag the piercing down abit, depending on how often they wore them, and it would also enlarge the hole.

[Kimberly]

I remember reading that with very heavy ear-rings, a fine wire would be looped up over the top of the ear to help the lobe "cope" with the weight. I think Alix used this method at her coronation.

[Romanov_fan]

That's very likely, just what I thought, and thanks for the info.