The body of the oldest human known was discovered in the late 1990's,He had pierced ears with an opening enlarged to 7mm.

The lovely earrings pictured above were popular in Ancient times,in Medieval England,with Americans in the 1920's and 30's,and for the last 6 years,in our society in most parts of the world.Amazing.Here are the important historical points.

1.)The oldest human remains shows earrings were worn.

Earrings are even mentioned in the Bible, see Genesis 22:42 where Abraham gave a gift of an earring to Rebecca as part of a wedding dowry to marry his son Issac. A similar practice is still followed today among some African and Middle Eastern societies where an earring is given to the wife as a symbol of the marriage and to ensure her financial security in the event of divorce. The size of the earring also denotes the wealth of the wearer and is considered an important symbol of social status

Approximately 1440 BC. The book of Exodus 21: 5-6 describes how Hebrew servants that pledged allegiance to their master would have their ear held to a door post and pierced with an awl. This would indicate identification with a particular family.

2.Earrings were worn as a symbol of wealth,social status and power.

Men were the first to wear earrings .The oldest mummified body in the world was found frozen in an Austrian Glacier in 1991. Tests showed the body to be over 5,000 years old. The body had pierced ears and the holes had been enlarged to 7-11mm diameter.

Earlier information indicated earrings unearthed by archaeologists in Iraq date to about 2,500 BC. Back to 3000 BC there were two types of earrings: the hoop, and the more elaborate pendant. From 1559 B.C. to 1085 B in Egypt earplugs became very fashionable. These type of piercings and earrings are seen even on King Tutankhamen.

Additionally, Wikipedia adds "One of the early signs of earrings worn by males are from the walls of Perspolis in ancient Persia, the carved images of the soldiers from various parts of the Persian Empire which are displayed on some of the surviving walls of the palace showing the soldiers wearing an ear ring".

3. Sailors wore earrings to improve eyesight.
This gives new meaning to the Pirate with his ear hoop.
In early years sailors found primitive tribes with exceptional vision .The natives believed their earrings improved their natural sight.Since vision was crucial to these sea farers, they began to wear earrings.Later it became for some a gold hoop in the left ear, Not only was it thought to improve the sailors vision at sea,but also, served the secondary function of paying for a proper burial should the body of a sailor wash up on shore following an accident at sea. The person finding the body was expected to take the earring as payment and to provide for the poor man's burial with the proceeds.