Belly Buttons and Lint Trivia Quiz

Answer: India

Indian women, particularly from the south of that great nation, have exposed their navels for centuries as part of the traditional dress of that land. Part of the reason for this is the symbolism associated with that part of the body. Because it is believed that the world sprang from the navel of Vishnu, the Supreme God of one of the main streams of Hinduism, the navel has been associated with life and birth ever since. There was a time, however when ancient Sanskrit texts, such as the Dharmasûtras, frowned on this practice, and the exposure of the navel was taboo.

("Taboo - booooo!" shouted Lint, who was thoroughly enjoying the midriff exposed dancing of the beautiful women before him. "Sshh!" I hissed at him as the dancers momentarily frowned, "They think you mean them!")

Answer: A sculpture

The Didarganj Yakshi is truly exquisite. It stands at five foot four inches tall and is kept today at the Patnar Museum at Bihar, India. Incredibly lifelike, and with midriff displayed in all its glory, it even depicts small wrinkles of tummy fat as well. Sadly though, part of her nose is now missing, as in one of of her arms. In an odd sort of way, this makes her a distant relative of the statue of the Venus de Milo, Greece's famous depiction of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.

"I quite fancy that little lady" said Lint as he admired this sculpture. "Might buy 'er and fix 'er nose up with a bit of plasticine"

Answer: Song of Solomon

This biblical book is rather sensual in its descriptions, and beautiful in its lush imagery. It is a great poem celebrating the passion and delight of the love between a man and a woman. Some people of a puritanical nature, with flushed cheeks, may be inclined to skate over this book rather hurriedly, if they read it at all. It describes various parts of the female anatomy in a celebration of poetical, lyrical delight. A woman's navel in this book, for example, is described in terms such as "Your belly is a rounded bowl" and "Your belly is a heap of wheat". The second of these images, because the belly is also associated with birth, gives us the triple imagery of fertility, sexuality and creation.

"Bit like your belly, darl," remarked Lint. "It's a bit of a heap too".

Answer: Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia was an ancient area of the world located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Located today in the modern country of Iraq, this once lovely fertile area is considered by scholars to be the site from which the western civilisation began. One of the beliefs of the people from this ageless land was that the one time major city of Nippur, now in ruins, was the centre of their known universe. It was thus described as the navel of the world.

"What'd ya drag me along to this deserted joint for?" grumbled Lint. "There's no pubs".

Answer: Jerusalem

This can be found described in the "Midrashim", a work of many stories that help interpret the old texts in the Hebrew bible. In this it states "...God created the world like an embryo. Just as the embryo begins at the navel and continues to grow from that point, so too the world. The Holy One, blessed be he, began the world from its navel...Where is its navel? Jerusalem...". The beginning of the world has been likened, once again, to the nourishing, life-sustaining forces that link a mother and the new born child.

"Now look, luv," complained Lint, "I've told you I'm not ready to 'ave kids yet, so stop hinting all the time".

Answer: A weakling child who would bring much woe

Oh, the poor little thing, how sad. Condemned before its first wet nappy. The perfect navel is considered in this country to be an "innie". Even before the written word emerged in the history of the Japanese people, their ancient clay figurines featured this focus on the association between creation and the navel. It was also believed in those times that their terrifying thunder god was always greedily seeking young navels in particular, and mothers had to be constantly on guard that the navels of their children be kept covered. This belief was echoed in later centuries by the wide belt worn around the waist area in traditional Japanese clothing.

"I wonder if they make cherry flavoured beer here?" murmured Lint as he stared thirstily at the beautiful blossoming trees all around us.

Answer: Full breast covering

One is inclined to think that this was possibly so that the royal gentlemen of the court weren't tempted to stray. Therefore, while it was common for female members of royalty to dress in this fashion, it was not the case for female members of the ordinary classes. They were advised in fact in one of their great early works to "Dress your garment above your navel, without exposing the fair bosom, and expose not your teeth in laughing". By the late 1800s, Buddhist leaders went further and were advising that women should wear long outfits that covered just about everything but the head. It never ceases to amaze me how men in all cultures, and in all time periods, believe they have the right to control all aspects of the lives of the women of their societies.

"Oh not this women's stuff again," groaned Lint. "Just keep your shirt on, missus" he added, thinking he was being amusing.

Answer: An easy birth

That's a bit grim. Reindeer lichen is a type of fungus that grows on the skin of these animals. However, given that delivering a child can be extremely painful, it's not surprising that women in times gone by would try anything to ease this pain. In countries of the far east, a betel leaf placed on the navel was supposed to do the same thing. In India, castor oil was rubbed on navels as a cure for stomach ache, and, comically so, it was also believed there that ghee and mustard oil left on the navel overnight would cure dry lips. Dry lips? Wrong orifice.

"Might buy meself a beer-making kit this Christmas," mused Lint. "I'll get you a new ironing board if you're good".

Answer: Beyonce Knowles

Hopefully, she covered most of the rest of her anatomy as well. It's surprising Beyoncé was even allowed to perform there at all, as many of her songs are centred around the themes of female "sexuality and empowerment". Hardly ideal topics in such morally stringent lands. Couples in Indonesia, for example, can face up to five years jail for kissing in public.

The exposure of a navel would be considered really offensive there. Malaysia's laws decree that Muslim women must be covered from head to toe except for face and hands, and that appropriate clothing must be worn for other women, including the coverage of that all offensive navel. Korea's laws follow suit with regard to the belly button.

There, for example, it must not be shown on television at any time.

Answer: In the movies or on television

Under the rulings of the Motion Picture Production Code, the following are a few examples of the taboo about navels being displayed in the films and on the television sets of the western world until recently. Joan Collins had to cover her navel with a jewel during the shooting of the 1955 film "Land of the Pharaohs". Barbara Eden had to keep her navel covered at all times during the entire production period of her hit series "I Dream of Jeannie" (1965-70), as did the girls on "Gilligan's Island (1964-67). The first time a navel was exposed unfettered and in all its glory, in fact, was during the "Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" (1971-74) when actress-singer Cher led the charge. Unfortunately though, it seems the navel pendulum has subsequently swung full extent in the opposite direction, with many newer movies and TV series. Now, instead, we're practically force fed complete nudity and all its various contortions as part of our daily, endlessly boring, viewing fare.

"Oh c'mon, darl" whined Lint from the confines of his prison cell, "What do ya mean you don't think this marriage can now work?"