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The Kiss - How did it all begin?

Anthropologists believe that "kissing" originated from a practice called "premastication" - where a mother chews food and then transfers the soft, premasticated food into the mouth of an infant.

Another theory is that it arose from various cultural practices to symbolize the union of two souls. The earliest documented kiss appeared in ancient texts of India dating back to 2000 BC.

According to Nicholas Perella, author of The Kiss: Sacred and Profane, Indians believe that the exhaled breath is part of the soul and therefore bringin one's breath close to that of another person represents the intermingling of their souls.

This precedes the "nose kiss" of the Eskimos, who exchange breaths in a sort of spiritual union. Perella draws a parallel to this in Christianity by quoting Genesis 2:7 on the creation of man by God who infused the spirit of life into His creature by breathing into him.

Another Indian text, written around 1000 BC contains references to kissing as an expression of affection between lovers. The 6th Century document, Kama Sutra, fully describes the techniques of lip kissing.

Kissing is bonding behavior for both humans and animals. Turtles, moles and cats are known to rub noses. Dogs lick each other's faces, elephants put their trunks into each other's mouth and chimpanzees are known to kiss lip to lip to relieve tension, express love or make up after an argument.

Kissing in Public has become normal - whether a peck on the cheek or a quick kiss on the lips, though many Eastern cultures frown upon open displays of intimacy, such as deep French kissing.

On the other hand, some cultures abhor kissing. Communities living in the Himalayas and several tribes in South America find it revolting to exchange saliva.

Kissing was once declared a health hazard in 1439 in England, when it become banned as a move to stop germs from spreading.

Among Muslim communities, particular in the Middle East, public kissing between adults can invite prosecution and punishment, which include whipping or canning. However, it is alright for two Muslim men to greet each other with a kiss that's applied quickly to each side of the face in public or in private.

The "modern kiss" in Western culture has been traced back to the Greek Empire. In the Middle Ages, the Church ruled that kissing "in reverence of God" was acceptable. However, kissing for pleasure was a venal sin, while kissing with intent to fornicate was a mortal sin.

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