In recent times, the COVID-19 pandemic has destroyed the age-old habit of shaking hands. It is most widely used as a greeting, but when did shaking hands become the standard greeting?
The handshake dates all the way back to the 9th century BC. King Shalmanesar III ruled over Assyria, an empire（帝国）of the ancient Middle East. Archaeologists（考古学家）found a throne base from that time. It shows two people holding hands. In the 5th century BC, in Greece, this was a symbol of peace, showing that neither person carried a weapon. The handshake also makes an appearance in Homer’s ancient poem, the lliad（荷马史诗）. In it, two characters “shook each other’s hands”.
However, these handshakes were not used as greetings. The earliest reference to a handshake greeting is in the 16th century novels by French writer Francois Rabelais, says Dutch sociologist Herman Roodenburg.
Even so, the most widely accepted theory about the handshake’s origin is that it survived through a group called the Quakers, who were devoted to equality and peace. As the movement spread, so did the handshake, eventually becoming standard among the working class in the mid-1700s.
However, this was not the case everywhere, according to Roodenburg. Some French people described it as a vulgar（平民）English greeting, so many maintained（维持） “la bise”, the traditional peck（轻吻）on two cheeks, which was widely used until the COVID-19 outbreak. In many countries, people have started touching elbows or ankles to greet each other instead of shaking hands, as this is believed to be safer.
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| Different | |
| In the 9th century BC | A throne base found by archaeologists shows two persons |
| In the 5th century BC | Greek people thought the handshake was a |
| In the 16th century | In Francois Rabelais’ novels the handshake was |
| In the mid-1700s | The handshake |
| Shaking hands was widely used around the world | |
