A very brief history of greetings

摘要

Physical greetings may be part of human nature, but they also vary hugely from culture to culture. The origins of some are a little murky. The oldest evidence of the handshake, for example, can be seen in an Assyrian relief from the 9th century BC, which shows King Shalmaneser III sealing an alliance with a clasp of the hand. Handshaking can also be found in ancient Greek literature as a sign of hospitality. Evidence of kissing is even older. References to romantic kisses can be found in some of the world's earliest texts, including the Vedic scriptures and ancient Sumerian poetry, as early as 3500 years ago. The social kiss dates to at least the Roman Empire, where it was seen as a greeting between equals. The emperor Tiberius, who reigned from AD 14 to 37, banned the practice at court receptions, since it was believed to spread a dangerous facial infection. The ban didn't last for long; cheek-kissing has remained particularly popular across southern Europe.