Among the Tlingit of southeast Alaska ear piercing showed a person’s rank in society. One could be born into a certain rank, however, if their parents decided to throw a “potlatching”, which is a community feast, they could pay to have their child’s ears pierced. A great amount of wealth was required to host this feast and pay the person to pierce the child’s ear. As a result the many holes marked the child as a member of nobility. Ear plugs were found in Mayan culture, many plugs range from one centimeter to an inch in diameter.