-Kissing-
Long before kissing became a way of showing affection, it was the
custom in many parts of the world to kiss as an expression of
homage. In many African tribes, people would kiss the ground upon
which the chief had walked. Kissing the had and foot has been a
way to show respect since very early times. Early Romans would
kiss the mouth or eyes as a form of greeting. There is only
evidence that the kiss as a form of affection originated in the
sixth century with France being the first country where the
kiss became the practice in courtship and love. When dancing
became popular, almost every dance ended with a kiss. From
France, the kiss spread rapidly across Europe. A kiss from the
Tsar of Russia became one of the highest forms of recognition
from the Crown. Although for most of you reading this, the kiss
is an expression of love, many places in the world still use the
kiss as part of formal ceremonies intended to display respect
and homage.
The Kiss - More theories, more detail
http://www.wsu.edu:8001/vcwsu/commons/topics/culture/behaviors/kissing/kissing-essay.html
From:
Bruce H.G. Calder's August 26, 1999
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