[Loch-Ruadh] RE: [Loch-Ruadh] RE: [Loch-Ruadh] Why did sailors wear earrings? (Alaric? Can you answer?)

[dgutridge at charter.net]

As a sailor I can tell you that it was to keep the evil spirits from
entering our ears.  That is why it was always hoop type earring that
gingle. I am not kidding, it is still a current sailor tradition that we
have tried to put through to the modern US Navy.

There was a significant movement in the 80's to try to revive the
tradion (when I was in) however it was considered "fadish".


Baron Daniel

-----Original Message-----
From: loch-ruadh-admin at ansteorra.org
[mailto:loch-ruadh-admin at ansteorra.org] On Behalf Of E. Hawkwood
Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 4:31 PM
To: loch-ruadh at ansteorra.org
Subject: [Loch-Ruadh] RE: [Loch-Ruadh] Why did sailors wear earrings?
(Alaric?  Can you answer?)


Jane Sitton <jane.sitton at radioshack.com> wrote:
>Greetings.
>
>Another email list I read has come up with a question:
>>Why did sailors wear earrings?  Here are some of the theories:
>
>#1.  To pay for a Christian burial, should the body wash up on shore
>(though I would think the ears would be among the first parts to be
>nibbled off by fish, sorry for the visual)
>
>#2.  To indicate the sailor was married, and worn on the left ear
>(closer to the heart), as a ring on one's hand could get caught in the
>rigging
>
>#3.  To indicate the sailor had been past Cape Horn (left ear) or the
>Cape of Good Hope (right ear)
>
#4. A similar form of acupuncture/acupressure. When they got seasick, a
quick pull or rubbing of the earring (and that certain spot on the
ear) abated the nausea.

--
Lady Elizabeth Hawkwood


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