Some sources attribute the act of sword swallowing to a religious ritual to India about 4,000 years ago. The term swallowing is a misnomer in that to perform the act without injury, the swallower has to suppress the natural gag reflex, so that the sword may pass down the oesophagus towards the stomach.
By the 8th century it had become a form of entertainment in China rather than a religious ritual. Around the same time it became part of the Japanese acrobats acts. The practice spread to Europe and by the Middle Ages became part of street theatre along with jugglers and clowns. However the practice was outlawed as an act of heresy performed by witches and as such pretty much died out.
The resurgence began at the start of the 1800’s. A sword swallower called Sena Sama from India is said to have performed the first sword swallowing in the US on 25th November 1817 at an exhibition in New York. By 1841 the famous P T Barnum had founded his American Dime Museum, which featured sword swallowing acts. In the UK Martha Mitchell was one of the few women performing the act in the mid 19th century. The travelling circus and side shows became the home of the sword swallower and the competition to attract audiences grew. Larger and larger swords were used as well as bayonets and hot swords. Even neon light tubes have been swallowed.
Still popular, the practice continues and the Sword Swallowers Association still promotes the art via its web site and through events