We all kiss and enjoy kissing. We express our love and affection with a kiss. Sometimes we find it better to kiss than to say a word of approval, affection, tenderness or soothing.

But not everyone knows where the first kiss came from, though it is really interesting and amazing story.

Anthropologists suggest a theory that kissing's origins come from primitive times when mothers chewed food and transferred it directly from their mouths to their babies' mouths, a method that consequently evolved into a kiss. But this theory has been neither proved nor denied.

Possibly, the origins of kissing have another source. In some cultures of 2000 B.C. people believed that bringing the mouths together joined two souls. For instance, in the culture of Indians, people believed that our breath was part of the soul, as a result when people brought their mouths together, they exchanged their breath and joined their souls.

According to Vaughn Bryant, Jr., a well-known anthropologist, the first erotic kiss was invented in about 1500 B.C. in India. The scientist assures that there are no written records or other testimony justifying that erotic kiss existed prior to this age.

In ancient Egyptian art and culture, kissing was associated with "giving life", i.e. kissing already was used as a prelude to making love.

The Romans contributed much to the history and perfection of kiss. They kissed each other as a greeting on the mouth or on the eyes. Romans kissed robes, rings and statues of gods to show respect and obedience.

Some Roman emperors allowed their people kiss their parts of body, the closest were allowed to kiss emperor’s lips, others - his arms or feet, depending on their significance in Roman social system.

As the Romans experimented with kissing, soon they discovered that a kiss has many meanings. A kiss of affection, a kiss of respect, a kiss of love, a kiss of submission… Romans assigned words for different types of kisses, for instance, osculum means friendship kiss, basium means passionate kiss, and savium means deep kiss, which is became known later as the French kiss.

In the feudal system, a vassal would always kneel in front of his lord, put his hands in the lord’s hands and declare himself his man. Then the lord kissed the vassal and raised him to his feet.

The standpoint is that Russians first incorporated the kiss into the marriage ceremony.

France was the first to incorporate kissing in courtship. In the sixth century, dancing was a way to display affection and each dance was accompanied with a kiss. And of course, the French are famous inventors of the French kiss. French kiss is also known as tongue wrestling and tonsil hockey. In British slang, this type of kissing is generally known as snogging.

Kissing is an important part of religion, although erotic kiss has always encountered opposition in religious thoughts. If you read the Bible, you will find a lot of references concerning kissing. Jesus was betrayed by a kiss. The Holy Kiss is encouraged in the New Testament between believers. Kissing of relics and icons is common to many religions including Islam.

There are plenty of interesting facts about kissing complementing its long and fascinating history.

It is a common knowledge and scientific fact that kissing signals our brains to produce oxytocin, a hormone that supplies us with pleasant and good feeling overall. In addition, our biology causes one kiss to be followed with another. When we kiss, the insides of our mouths and edges of our lips produce a chemical that requires for more kisses to follow.

Another interesting peculiarity of human nature is that our brains have neurons that help us find our lovers lips in the dark.

It is also important to say a few words about kiss’s benefits. German physicians and psychologists have concluded that people who kiss their spouse every morning miss less work because of illness than those who do not. Those who kiss also have fewer auto accidents on the way to work, earn monthly 20 to 30 percent more and live about five years longer.

Lets paraphrase a common proverb and finish this article with it: “A kiss a day keeps doctor away”. And we can add to it “but brings luck, happiness and fortune”