Before the Occupation and in ancient times, the Bajoran style of piercing was much more elaborate. People would often have many parts of their body pierced with intricate jewelry connected together with chains. The Bajorans believed that certain metals could channel their Pagh along naturally occurring pathways of the body. However, the left ear was mostly free of piercing for religious purposes.
A full ancient Bajoran piercing could consist of ear, nose, brow, lip, nipple, surface, and navel piercings (as well as some in ~other~ places) and more all interconnected with fine chains. Each piercing corresponded to a certain milestone in a Bajoran’s life, with specific ones being added according to profession and the various Pagh ‘pathways’ involved.
Specifically in ancient times, these piercings were shown off via sheer, draped, revealing styles that were rejected as immodest as the modern Bajoran religion emerged.
When the Occupation happened, however, Bajor was stripped of a majority of its’ precious metal resources and the people had to give up a large part of their piercings in favor for just the single ear. Even then, they had trouble finding good metal, and often had to scavenge it off of damaged industrial components.
chequerootlurks
