A recent study by researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Oxford reveals that kissing was practiced in ancient Middle Eastern societies 4,500 years ago, predating earlier theories by approximately 1,000 years. The findings are based on written evidence from ancient Mesopotamia, where kissing was acknowledged as a part of romantic intimacy as well as friendships and familial relations. The researchers argue that kissing is a fundamental human behavior, also observed in our closest animal relatives, bonobos and chimpanzees.
Additionally, the study discusses the potential implications of kissing as a transmission route for diseases like the herpes simplex virus 1. While there’s speculation that kissing could have accelerated the spread of such pathogens, the researchers caution that direct causation cannot be assumed. They highlight parallels between ancient Mesopotamian medical texts describing symptoms of a mouth-related disease and modern understandings of herpes symptoms.
The researchers advocate for an interdisciplinary approach to further investigate the complex historical interplay between social practices and disease transmission, suggesting that the role of kissing in ancient societies merits more extensive exploration.
