Pointy ears

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A southern bushpig Southern Bush Pig.jpg
A southern bushpig
An anime-style elven archer with pointed ears Elvish-archer.svg
An anime-style elven archer with pointed ears

Pointy ears or pointed ears (also satyr, plxle, goblin, elf(in), or gnomeear [1] ) are a characteristic of various animals in nature. In humans, they generally are the result of a genetic condition.

Contents

This anatomical trait has been a characteristic feature of various imaginary creatures and has become a cliché in popular culture, particularly in the fantasy and science fiction genres.

In animals

Pointy ears are characteristic of certain mammals; they include the Canada Lynx [2] the African bush pigs, the cat, vampire bats, [3] civets and genets of the viverridae family, [4] red pandas, [5] certain species of monkeys, [6] [7] and various dog breeds, including the German shepherd [8] , the Shiba Inu and the Siberian Husky. [9]

In humans

Pathologies

Pointed ears in humans are generally associated with congenital deformities, notably Darwin's tubercule [10] , and described as congenital ear malformation. [11]

The pointed ear(s) in "Stahl's ear", another anomaly of the external ear, is caused by misshapen cartilage. [12] It is characterized by an extra horizontal fold of cartilage (crus). Normally, there are two: superior and inferior. In Stahl's ear, there is a third horizontal crus. The helix (or upper portion of the ear) may uncurl, giving the ear a pointed shape. [13]

One of the characteristics of the Williams syndrome has been described as "pointed ears". [14] [15]

In 2013 the conditon has been described as not very well researched, with the scholars attributing this to "the rarity of the condition, the higher prevalence in oriental races, and the fact that it is often simply grouped with more common conditions in the literature" [16] .

Props and plastic surgery

As part of a trend in the 2020s [17] , Boris Johnson [18] , author Holly Black, [19] and others have worn latex pointy ears in public [20] [21] . [22] [23] while some people have modified their ears surgically to make them pointed. [22] [23] In 2026, the Wall Street Journal noted that "elf ears" was the most "coveted enhancement" in Asia; [24] the trend was particularly notable in China and Korea. [25] [26] [27] [11] The same year, The Star reported one case in which the operation had been associated with health complications. [28] Majority of people undergoing the surgery are women who like the perception that such ears make their face look smaller. [11] Concerns have been raised about the procedure, as in many places it has not yet acceredited by mainstream health bodies, and it is considered relatively new and experimental, with unknown long term health effects. [11]

In folklore and fiction

This anatomical feature has been present in various mythological hybrid creatures, like satyrs. [29] [16]

Pointy ears have been a characteristic of many creatures in folklore, such as the French croquemitaine, the Brazilian curupira, [30] , the Irish Leprechaun, [31] and the Japanese earth spider. [32] The trait is visible in artworks dating back at least to the times of Ancient Greece [33] and medieval Europe. [34]

Gnome figure, with pointed ears, part of the Elfin Oak (London) Elfin Oak figure.jpg
Gnome figure, with pointed ears, part of the Elfin Oak (London)

Pointy ears are a common characteristic of many creatures in the fantasy genre [35] [36] : 180  such as elves, [37] [38] [39] [36] : 180  faeries, [40] [41] gnomes, [1] pixies, [1] [42] hobbits, [43] goblins [1] and orcs, [44] among others. They are also a characteristic of creatures from the horror genre, such as vampires [45] [46] or werewolves. [47]

This characteristic has been adopted into the Japanese anime and manga art style, where pointy ears are also a common trope of fantasy characters. [48] [49] Manga and anime elves in particular are distinguished by very prominently displayed pointed ears, often drawn larger and more distinctly visible, as well as more angled, than in the Western works. [38] [50]

Pointy ears have become associated with elves in Victorian literature of the 19th century. [39] Popularization of the pointy ears as an attribute of Elves has been attributed to the big screen interpretation of the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. The status of elvish ears as canon is not universally accepted by the Tolkien fandom. [11] [37] [51] [52] [53]

Statue of a "Spock" bear, with pointy ears, in the center of Birmingham (2017) 'Spock' Bear - geograph.org.uk - 5461144.jpg
Statue of a "Spock" bear, with pointy ears, in the center of Birmingham (2017)

This type of ears are often found in humanoids as well, such as among the Vulcan [54] and Romulan races of the Star Trek universe, [55] [56] [16] or the Nightcrawler character from the X-Men universe. [57] The Hylian and Gerudo races in the The Legend of Zelda universe have pointed ears always and sometimes respectively. [58]

The pointed ears of Mr. Spock from Star Trek have been since called "iconic", having inspired many imitations, while the original prop is preserved as an exhibit in the National Air and Space Museum since 2021. [59] The curator of the museum recalled that, before the show started airing, the production team feared that spectators might perceive "Spock’s appearance — specifically his pointed ears — as devilish, leading some early NBC publicity photos to round off Spock’s ear". [60] The ears were on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington in 2015. [61]

Pointy ears have been described as a simple and cheap visual cue indicating that a fictional character is not human (a trope of "otherness"). [62] [63]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Davis, Jack (1987), Davis, Jack (ed.), "Satyr Ear" , Aesthetic and Reconstructive Otoplasty: Under the Auspices of the Alfredo and Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat Foundation, New York, NY: Springer, pp. 251–265, doi:10.1007/978-1-4613-9999-5_10, ISBN   978-1-4613-9999-5 , retrieved 2026-07-14{{citation}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN (link)
  2. ↑ Reporter, Anna Daly-BoiseDev (2021-11-14). "Inside the cat with a big body and pointy ears roaming Idaho's forests". BoiseDev. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  3. ↑ Pamela J. Gerholdt (1996). Vampire Bats. ABDO. p. 12. ISBN   978-1-56239-505-6.
  4. ↑ Joseph F. Merritt (4 February 2010). The Biology of Small Mammals. JHU Press. pp. 128–129. ISBN   978-0-8018-7950-0.
  5. ↑ Concise Encyclopedia Biology. Walter de Gruyter. 1 January 1996. p. 1015. ISBN   978-3-11-088956-7.
  6. ↑ Loh, Tiffany Y.; Cohen, Philip R. (2016). "Darwin's Tubercle: Review of a Unique Congenital Anomaly". Dermatology and Therapy. 6 (2): 143–149. doi:10.1007/s13555-016-0109-6. PMC   4906103 . PMID   27055539.
  7. ↑ Nash, Elias (2025-08-31). "A 'Useless' Organ You Might Find On Your Ear Once Had A Unique Purpose". Sciencing. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  8. ↑ "TSA to deploy more floppy-ear dogs because they're less scary than pointy-ear dogs". Los Angeles Times. 2018-12-28. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  9. ↑ Carstens, Cynthia Sanz (2024-03-21). "20 Dogs with Pointy Ears That Are Totally Ear-resistible". Reader's Digest. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  10. ↑ Loh, Tiffany Y.; Cohen, Philip R. (2016). "Darwin's Tubercle: Review of a Unique Congenital Anomaly". Dermatology and Therapy. 6 (2): 143–149. doi:10.1007/s13555-016-0109-6. PMC   4906103 . PMID   27055539.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Chen, Xia; Zhang, Ruhong; Zhang, Qun; Xu, Zhicheng; Xu, Feng; Li, Datao; Li, Yiyuan (2022-02-01). "Rationality and Regulation Needed to Contain China's Dangerous Infatuation with "Elf Ears"" . Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. 46 (1): 537–538. doi:10.1007/s00266-021-02505-y. ISSN   1432-5241.
  12. ↑ Gleizal, A.; Bachelet, J.T. (December 2013). "Aetiology, pathogenesis, and specific management of Stahl's ear: role of the transverse muscle insertion". British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 51 (8): e230–e233. doi:10.1016/j.bjoms.2013.01.018. PMID   23481291.
  13. ↑ "Stahl's Ear". chop.edu. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  14. ↑ "Box 19.4 Clinical characteristics of the Williams syndrome phenotype". p. 384. in: Karmiloff-Smith, Annette (2005). "Development Intself is the Key to Understanding Developmental Disorders". Brain Dovelopement and Cognition. pp. 375–391. doi:10.1002/9780470753507.ch19. ISBN   978-0-470-75350-7.
  15. ↑ Scientific American (1 January 2008). What Makes a Genius?. The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 37. ISBN   978-1-4042-1401-9.
  16. 1 2 3 Potgieter, M. D.; Giaquinto-Cilliers, M. G. C. (May 2013). "Mythological ears, a real deformity: A case of bilateral Stahl's ears in a South African girl". South African Journal of Child Health. 7 (2): 68–69. ISSN   1999-7671.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  17. ↑ "The Latest Fad: Elf Ears". Sound & Vision. 2021-06-21. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  18. ↑ "Former Prime Minister dons fairy wings and elf ears at party for daughter's birthday". Oxford Mail. 2025-12-07. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  19. ↑ Goldstein, Meredith (2017-05-31). "Amherst author now has actual 'elf ears'". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  20. ↑ Stover, Laren (2017-08-21). "Another Variation on the Selfie: Get Ready for the Elfie". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  21. ↑ Dazed (2018-10-16). "Why are so many people wearing elf ears?". Dazed. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  22. 1 2 "What it's really like getting 'elf ears' like Grimes wants". New York Post. 2022-09-13. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  23. 1 2 "Grimes fans are convinced she has had elf ear surgery after latest photo". The Independent. 2022-09-18. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  24. ↑ Martin, Timothy W. (2026-05-07). "The Most Coveted Cosmetic Enhancement in Asia Right Now: Elf Ears". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  25. ↑ "'It's magic': 'elf ear' cosmetic surgery fad takes off in China". South China Morning Post. 2021-06-11. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  26. ↑ Batarags, Lina. "People in China are paying to have their ears elongated into 'elf ears' because they think it makes their faces look slimmer". Business Insider. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  27. ↑ Ewe, Koh (2021-06-17). "'Elf Ears' Are Trending in China. People Are Undergoing Surgery To Get Them". VICE. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  28. ↑ "Cosmetic elf ear surgery leads to facial paralysis". The Star. 2026-04-30. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  29. ↑ Claudia Beier, "Fighting Animals: An Analysis of the Intersections between Human Self and Animal Otherness on Attic Vases" in Thorsten Fögen, Edmund V. Thomas, Interactions between Animals and Humans in Graeco-Roman Antiquity, De Gruyter (2016).
  30. ↑ Theresa Bane (4 September 2013). Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology. McFarland. p. 91. ISBN   978-0-7864-7111-9.
  31. ↑ "The Origin of Leprechauns". Shamrock Club of New Dublin, Inc. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  32. ↑ Laurence Bush (5 October 2001). Asian Horror Encyclopedia: Asian Horror Culture in Literature, Manga, and Folklore. iUniverse. p. 43. ISBN   978-1-4697-1503-2.
  33. ↑ Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1850). The History of Ancient Art Among the Greeks. Chapman. p. 80.
  34. ↑ Alixe Bovey (2002). Monsters and Grotesques in Medieval Manuscripts. University of Toronto Press. p. 38. ISBN   978-0-8020-8512-2.
  35. ↑ J. Peffer (25 October 2012). DragonArt Collector's Edition: Your Ultimate Guide to Drawing Fantasy Art. IMPACT. p. 28. ISBN   978-1-4403-2417-8.
  36. 1 2 Alberto, Maria K.; Gonzales, Yvonne (2025). "(Voiceover) Imagine a World…". The Routledge Handbook of Fan Video and Digital Authorship. pp. 170–182. doi:10.4324/9781032717401-15. ISBN   978-1-032-71740-1.
  37. 1 2 Michael J. Tresca (16 November 2010). The Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games. McFarland. p. 34. ISBN   978-0-7864-6009-0.
  38. 1 2 David Okum (21 April 2006). Manga Fantasy Madness: Over 50 Basic Lessons for Drawing Warriors, Wizards, Monsters and more. IMPACT. p. 31. ISBN   1-60061-381-0.
  39. 1 2 Sirona Knight (7 June 2005). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Elves and Fairies. DK Publishing. p. 171. ISBN   978-1-4406-9638-1.
  40. ↑ John Michael Greer (1 September 2011). Monsters. Llewellyn Worldwide. p. 107. ISBN   978-0-7387-1600-8.
  41. ↑ Christopher Hart (2008). Astonishing Fantasy Worlds: The Ultimate Guide to Drawing Adventure Fantasy Art. Watson-Guptill Publications. p. 103. ISBN   978-0-8230-1472-9.
  42. ↑ John Hamilton (1 August 2011). Elves and Fairies. ABDO. p. 23. ISBN   978-1-60453-215-9.
  43. ↑ Misha Kavka; Jenny Lawn; Mary Paul (2006). Gothic Nz: The Darker Side of Kiwi Culture. Otago University Press. p. 111. ISBN   978-1-877372-23-0.
  44. ↑ Lisa Hopkins (1 January 2010). Screening the Gothic. University of Texas Press. p. 202. ISBN   978-0-292-77959-4.
  45. ↑ Noah William Isenberg (13 August 2013). Weimar Cinema: An Essential Guide to Classic Films of the Era. Columbia University Press. pp. 96–. ISBN   978-0-231-50385-3.
  46. ↑ Ken Gelder (2000). The Horror Reader. Psychology Press. p. 27. ISBN   978-0-415-21356-1.
  47. ↑ Gardner, Eriq (2016-03-29). "'Star Trek' Lawsuit Now Explores What Vulcans and Vampires Have in Common". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  48. ↑ Ikari Studio (28 March 2007). The Monster Book of More Manga. HarperCollins. p. 19. ISBN   978-0-06-115169-9.
  49. ↑ Anna Southgate; Keith Sparrow (August 2011). Drawing Manga Expressions and Poses. The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 17. ISBN   978-1-4488-4800-3.
  50. ↑ David Okum (15 March 2005). Manga Monster Madness. IMPACT. p. 34. ISBN   1-60061-387-X.[ permanent dead link ]
  51. ↑ Martinez, Michael (2011-09-21). "Do Tolkien's Elves Have Pointy Ears? | Middle-earth & J.R.R. Tolkien Blog by Michael Martinez". Middle-earth.xenite.org. Retrieved 2014-04-18.
  52. ↑ F.A.Q. "F.A.Q." The Tolkien Society. Retrieved 2014-04-18.
  53. ↑ Janice M. Bogstad; Philip E. Kaveny (9 August 2011). Picturing Tolkien: Essays on Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings Film Trilogy. McFarland. p. 86. ISBN   978-0-7864-8473-7.
  54. ↑ Friderun Ankel-Simons, Primate Anatomy: An Introduction, Elsevier, 2010, p. 433-435.
  55. ↑ Henry Jenkins III; Tara McPherson; Jane Shattuc (2 January 2003). Hop on Pop: The Politics and Pleasures of Popular Culture. Duke University Press. p. 119. ISBN   0-8223-8350-0.
  56. ↑ Misiroglu, Gina (2015-03-26). American Countercultures: An Encyclopedia of Nonconformists, Alternative Lifestyles, and Radical Ideas in U.S. History: An Encyclopedia of Nonconformists, Alternative Lifestyles, and Radical Ideas in U.S. History. Routledge. p. 719. ISBN   978-1-317-47729-7.
  57. ↑ William Irwin; Rebecca Housel; J. Jeremy Wisnewski (18 May 2009). X-Men and Philosophy: Astonishing Insight and Uncanny Argument in the Mutant X-Verse. John Wiley & Sons. p. 189. ISBN   978-0-470-73036-2.
  58. ↑ Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (November 21, 1991). The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Super Nintendo Entertainment System). Nintendo. A Link to the Past manual, pg. 4: It was also said that their long, pointed ears enabled them to hear special messages from the gods.
  59. ↑ "The Iconic Ears of Mr. Spock". airandspace.si.edu. 2021-12-15. Retrieved 2026-07-14.
  60. ↑ "The Iconic Ears of Mr. Spock". airandspace.si.edu. 2021-12-15. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  61. ↑ Press, Associated Foreign (2015-03-01). "Fascinating... Five facts you may not have known about Spock's ears (yes, just his ears)". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  62. ↑ Ferreira, Becky (2025-09-30). First Contact: The Story of Our Obsession with Aliens. Workman Publishing Company. p. 65. ISBN   978-1-5235-2777-9.
  63. ↑ "Page 144". in: Doubinsky, Sébastien (2021). "Breakthrough or Breakdown?". Migrating Minds. pp. 141–152. doi:10.4324/9781003144632-14. ISBN   978-1-003-14463-2. p. 144: Vulcans have pointy ears, Klingons have reptilian-like foreheads and long hair, and all, one way or another, look alike.
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