New evidence has emerged that kissing may have originated in the Near East around 4,500 years ago, contradicting the previous belief that it began in South Asia around 3,500 years ago. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Oxford discovered evidence of kissing in inscriptions on clay tablets from Mesopotamia, which showed that kissing was a gesture of affection and love in ancient times. The discovery suggests that kissing developed independently in different cultures over thousands of years, rather than originating in a single region and spreading from there.
The researchers also pointed out that there is strong evidence to suggest that kissing is a natural human behavior, as it has been observed in our closest living relatives, bonobos and chimpanzees. However, the practice of romantic kissing is not universal, with a 2015 study from Indiana University finding that it only occurs in 46% of the 168 societies analyzed. While kissing is common in the Middle East, North America, and Europe, it is less prevalent in cultures in Africa south of the Sahara, New Guinea, and Central America.
The earliest documented depiction of a kiss was found on a Mesopotamian clay tablet dating back around 4,500 years, and a ceramic relic from the same region around 3,800 years ago also depicts a kissing couple. The researchers believe that their findings provide a new understanding of the history of kissing and its cultural significance, and challenge previous assumptions about its origins.
