The Arab region holds the record for humanity’s earliest documented kiss

The Origins and Evolution of Kissing: Evidence from Ancient Mesopotamia

Ancient Clay Tablets Reveal Kissing was Practiced in Mesopotamia 4,500 Years Ago

A team of historians has found that romantic human kissing first began 4,500 years ago in Mesopotamia, according to a new research paper published in the journal Science.

Kissing was Associated with Social Practices Beyond Sexual Intercourse

Scientists have found new evidence of kissing in clay tablets from ancient Mesopotamia, the first human cultures that arose between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now Iraq and Syria. The oldest texts in the Sumerian language indicate that kissing was associated not only with sexual intercourse, but also with social practices.

Evidence of Kissing in Bonobos and Chimpanzees

Dr. Sophie Lund Rasmussen from the University of Copenhagen describes a theory that the romantic and sexual kissing that bonobos also enjoy could have evolved to determine a partner’s health based on knowing if they had bad breath up close. Both bonobos and chimpanzees also kiss to create a sense of closeness and connectedness in their relationships. This indicates that kissing is an important behavior in humans and may explain why it can be found in all cultures.

Kissing’s Role in the Transmission of Viruses

Kissing has played an unintended role in the transmission of microorganisms that can cause viruses to spread between people. While kissing is an important step forward in human social and sexual behavior, scientists say the habit has had long-term effects on the transmission of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), which causes cold sores.

Impact of Kissing in Ancient Cultures

The study shows that kissing was not a habit that originated exclusively in one region and spread from there, but was practiced in many ancient cultures for several thousand years. The practice of kissing in these cultures likely had consequences in terms of pathogen transmission that were fairly constant.

Source: New York Post

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