Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have studied some of the lesser-known tablets with images and text. They concluded that kissing in Mesopotamia had the same social and romantic importance as it does today. They also believe that kissing did not originate in one place. It was previously believed that kissing originated in India in 1500 BC.
“Kissing appears to have been done by several ancient civilizations. They discovered this independently of each other, as it relates to civilizations that have not come into contact with each other over thousands of years,” says lead researcher Troels Pank Arbøll.
Researchers point out that kissing also had its drawbacks in ancient Mesopotamia. For example, diseases such as herpes were transmitted in this way. People’s personal hygiene has never been as advanced as it is now.
