Earring
Ear piercing is one of the oldest known forms of body modification, with artistic and written references from cultures around the world dating back to early history. Gold, silver and bronze hoop earrings were prevalent in the Minoan Civilization (2000–1600 BCE) and examples can be seen on frescoes on the Aegean island of Santorini, Greece. During the late Minoan and early Mycenaean periods of Bronze Age Greece hoop earrings with conical pendants were fashionable. Early evidence of earrings worn by men can be seen in archeological evidence from Persepolis in ancient Persia. The carved images of soldiers of the Persian Empire, displayed on some of the surviving walls of the palace, show them wearing an earring.
Golden Earring
In 2003 the band briefly returned to the U.S. to record the studio album "Millbrook USA". Recording took place in Millbrook, New York, at the studio of fellow musician Frank Carillo. March 2009 Golden Earring did two gigs in the UK for the first time in 30 years, with one show at Ipswich Regent Theatre on March 13, 2009, and one concert on 14 March 2009 at The Shepherd's Bush Empire in London. Golden Earring celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2011. On October 10, 2011, at the Historical Museum of The Hague, PostNL presented the first postage stamp with music. This stamp was issued in honour of the 50th anniversary of the band. When a smartphone with a special app is held up to the music stamp, Golden Earring's "Radar Love" plays. This stamp is the first in a series of music stamps encoding real sound highlighting the most successful pop albums released in the Netherlands. Band member and co-founder Rinus Gerritsen accepted the first sheetlet from PostNL. "Moontan" has been, internationally, Golden Earring's most successful album. In celebration of the band’s 50th anniversary, PostNL has selected "Moontan" as the subject of the first stamp in this series. The 50th anniversary of Golden Earring was celebrated at the Hague Historical Museum in their hometown The Hague, with a special temporary exhibition on the band, their music, lifetime and influences. On display were singles, albums, posters, T-shirts, instruments, handwritings and portraits. The nightlife scene of the 1960s and 1970s was also highlighted, as well as a remake of a typical teenage bedroom of the 1960s. The expo was called 'Golden Earring—Back Home' and ran until February 2012.