The history of tattoos is as old as the history of man. Tattooing slowly made its way to Europe, becoming popular following the exploits of Captain James Cook and his men. Tattoos have become more acceptable in modern popular culture and can be with you forever but sometimes people just get tired of the idea behind a tattoo or get divorced and no longer want the name of their ex-spouse imbedded under their skin.
Tattooing has been a Eurasian practice at least since Neolithic times. Otzi the Iceman, dating from the fourth millennium BCE, was found in the Otz valley in the Alps and had approximately 57 carbon tattoos consisting of simple dots and lines on his lower spine, behind his left knee, and on his right ankle. Other mummies bearing tattoos and dating from the end of the second millennium BCE have been discovered at Pazyryk on the Ukok Plateau. Tattooing in Japan is thought to go back to the Paleolithic era, some ten thousand years ago. Various other cultures have had their own tattoo traditions, ranging from rubbing cuts and other wounds with ashes, to hand-pricking the skin to insert dyes.
Early Jesuit settlers document widespread tattooing among the Native American Indian. Among many of the tribes unique tattoo designs were used to mark outstanding warriors and a sign of arrival to manhood. The Ontario Iroquoians used elaborate designs to identify those very high in social status and in many North-West American Tribes the women were tattooed on their chins as a sign of marriage or commitment.
Thinking of getting a tattoo? Not sure which tattoo design to go with? Read all about the history of tattoos and learn how this art for evolved over the years.
The existence of body art, AKA tattoos, is not one that has come to the fore in recent times. Quite to the contrary the actual existence of the process of tattooing and body art, though various in its’ origins, can be traced back for several millenniums. The word itself has many supposed origins, the most credible ones being that of the Chinese term, “Ta” which translates into “To strike something” and, more likely, that of the word “Tatau” which means “to Mark.”
There are several tattoo styles that are gaining popularity in America. Though, in ways they are very similar, the differences can either make or break a tattoo. Understanding the differences can be crucial for a tattoo artist. The continuity and flow of Celtic knots, to the proper look of Bio-Mechanics. There are many different styles, however to go through them all, it would be a bit much. In this series of articles that I like to call “The many faces of tattoos”, you will learn the different types, and techniques of tattoos that exist in our country. There will also be some examples of artists which have helped to inspire the style of tattooing.
Throughout history, tattoos have often been a symbol for belonging, whether it be to a tribe, biker gang, club, or even in some cases gangs. These of course, aren’t the majority any longer as there are many good people getting tattoos these days. There are some huge differences in the way the majority of prison, or “home made” tattoos are preformed, and the sterility involved.
Throughout the history of tattoos, there have been a number of types that have become renewed. However, to fully understand the regenerated genre of tattooing, it is imperative to any tattoo artist to fully understand the roots of his/her career.
This second article looking at the history of the Tattoo through the ages and the message they sometimes convey. The first tattooed European to be exhibited was Jean Baptist Cabri, a French sailor who said he was adopted by a tribe in the Marquesas and tattooed on the face and body. John Rutherford, an Englishman who said he had been captured and forcibly tattooed by the Maori in New Zealand joined the ranks of the exhibited. Over time, tattooing became popular and a number of people started to make their living by displaying their tattooed bodies.
Body modification and body decoration are not new developments. In the case of tattoos, it is believed that the art has been around for several thousand years, dating back to 12,000 BC and it is seen as being the most ancient and widely used form of permanent body modification.
Tattoos are a very old form of body art that go back to ancient times when many cultures used them. Some historians say that tattoos go back 5000 years, while others believe they go back well over 10000 years.
