Kiss (affection)
A kiss is the act of pressing one's lips against another person or an object, widely recognized as a gesture of affection. The meaning and significance of kissing vary greatly across cultures, where it can serve as a greeting, a sign of friendship, or an expression of love. Roughly ninety percent of people globally engage in some form of kissing behavior, highlighting its prevalence in human interactions. The origins of kissing are debated, with theories suggesting it may have evolved from practices like kiss feeding, where mothers transfer food to their babies via their mouths, or as a means of partner selection based on saliva. While many cultures embrace kissing, it is not a universal practice; some cultures historically adopted the custom from European explorers. Kissing has a rich history, with references found in ancient texts like the Vedic scriptures and Greek literature, underscoring its long-standing significance in human relationships. The concept of romantic kissing particularly flourished during the medieval period with the notion of courtly love, leaving a lasting impact on literature and societal norms regarding affection. Overall, kissing remains a multifaceted expression that continues to evolve in meaning and practice across different societies.
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Kiss (affection)
A kiss is the act of pressing one's lips against an object or another person's lips. The kiss has evolved to symbolize many things throughout history, and its origin is highly debated. Kissing is often a sign of affection, and its meaning varies widely across cultures. The act of kissing can be used as a greeting, a sign of friendship, or to express deep love, among other uses. Studies calculate that about ninety percent of the world's population engages in various kissing behaviors.
Evolution of the Kiss
The exact origin of the kiss is a divisive topic among scientists. Some researchers believe the kiss evolved from an ancient practice called kiss feeding, during which mothers fed their babies food with their mouths. Cavemen also were known to taste the saliva of cavewomen to identify healthy partners with which to reproduce. Scientists note that kissing, or a similar act, is present in many other species besides humans. This evidence supports the innate hypothesis of kissing.
Kissing is not a universal practice among humans, however. Some cultures do not kiss at all. During the era of European expansion, many primitive cultures did not engage in the habit of kissing until they adopted it from European explorers. With this in mind, scientists have been led to believe that the kiss was a custom humans learned.
History of the Kiss
Whatever its origin may be, the habit of kissing has been around for centuries. The earliest mention of kissing came in the Vedic texts of ancient India dating back 3,500 years. Greek writer Homer also describes kissing in his history of the Trojan War, the Iliad, written in the ninth century B.C.E. The Indian text known as the Kama Sutra, written around the second century B.C.E., details standard sexual behaviors and includes a full chapter on various modes of kissing. The ancient Egyptians practiced kissing as a way to distinguish between ranks. Kissing also is described in the Bible as a sign of respect.
The Roman Empire further popularized the affectionate kiss. The Romans differentiated between hand and cheek kissing; light lip kissing; and deep, passionate kissing. As the Roman Empire diminished and Christianity began to rise, kissing became a predominately religious symbol. Romantic kissing did not reemerge until more than one thousand years later. The habit of courtly love, a medieval notion of romance involving passionate kissing, first developed in the eleventh century C.E. Ideas of courtly love persisted for many more centuries, particularly in romantic literature. The kiss shared between William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is perhaps the most well-known example of the romantic kiss of courtly love. Kissing and romantic affection were interlinked from this point on, specifically among literate societies who could read love stories.
Bibliography
Burton, Neel. "The History of Kissing." Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers, LLC. 23 Feb. 2014. Web. 6 Dec. 2015. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hide-and-seek/201402/the-history-kissing
Foer, Joshua. "The Kiss of Life." New York Times. New York Times Company. 14 Feb. 2006. Web. 6 Dec. 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/14/opinion/14foer.html?ex=1297573200&‗r=0
Lorenzi, Rossella. "Kissing's Long History: A Timeline." Discovery. Discovery Communications, LLC. 14 Feb. 2013. Web. 6 Dec. 2015. http://news.discovery.com/history/history-of-kissing-130214.htm
"The (Mostly) Blissful History of 'Kissing.'" NPR. NPR. 17 Jul. 2011.Web. 6 Dec. 2015. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7348582
"The 'Science of Kissing,'" NPR. NPR. 11 Feb. 2011. Web. 6 Dec. 2015. http://www.npr.org/2011/02/11/133686008/The-Science-Of-Kissing