# The origin of the smooch… **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 26, 2000, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-smooch/6546 "2000-01-26T20:02:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-smooch/6546/1 "2000-01-26T20:02:00Z")
## Is it a universal thing, or are does it have roots in a particular group of cultures? Any ideas, theories or WAGS? Thanks! Once in a while you can get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right… ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-smooch/6546/2 "2000-01-26T20:16:00Z")
In Alaska, the eskimos kiss by rubbin’ noses together . . . [admiring my own impressive schnozz in mirror] I’d be the Jayne Mansfield o’ THAT joint! ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-smooch/6546/3 "2000-01-26T20:40:00Z")
This is a custom that goes back to Cave Man Days, all the way back to Alley Oop and Ooola. When approaching a potential adversary, the Cave Man sought to ascertain whether this person was armed. The Handshake was a method of determining whether there was a heavy club in his hand; the French Kiss, whether or not he was concealing a sharp blade in the mouth. The Cave Men of old Gaul were particularly handy with their knives, hence the popular appellation. * * * Uke ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-smooch/6546/4 "2000-01-26T20:40:00Z")
You sure about that Eve? I’ve kind of relegated that image to the same bin containing Native Americans holding up a hand and saying 'hau!". If it is a custom among some Eskimos (or Inuits, to be PC) is it thought of as the same type of lip-smacking goodness as a ‘regular’ kiss? Come to think of it, I’d really hate to get the kiss of death from the Nanookian Mafia…. BLECH! ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-smooch/6546/5 "2000-01-26T21:06:00Z")
I don’t have any references to back this up, but I remember reading that it started out as a custom in the Middle Ages. Lords would kiss the lips of their wives to get close enough to smell them, thus indicating if they have been with somone else. I guess because bathing was unheard of in those days, other peoples’ smell could easily rub off onto others. * * * -Dragwyr “If God had meant for man to eat waffles, he would have given him lips like snowshoes” -Rev. Billy C. Wirtz ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-smooch/6546/6 "2000-01-26T21:35:00Z")
Kissing began right here: [http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000195.html](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000195.html)