When did men start wearing earrings?

The oldest mummified male body, which is believed to be 5,300 years old, showed evidence of an ear piercing. Throughout history, men have adorned their ears with jewels as a sign of wealth and prominence in society, or in more recent times, as a sign of rebellion.

For a variety of cultural, religious, tribal and communal reasons, earrings have been worn by men since the beginning of recorded time. The most recent glut of men wearing earrings began in the early 1970s. The hippie era in the United States brought about the rebirth of ear piercings for men, and that trend continues today.