The Beginning of Tattoos

My senior project was over the History of Tattooing, I chose this as my topic because Tattoos really interest me with all the different styles and meanings behind them. Some things I already knew about Tattooing is a lot of tribes used tattoos to symbolize things, but I didn’t know what.

- In ancient Greek and Rome tattooing was used in order to brand slaves and criminals. Greeks also used tattoos to identify and communicate with spies. It was during this period tattooing spread to central Europe and tattoos were used for medical purposes such as acupuncture which would later on influence the Chinese acupuncture society.

Tattoos have been around since 3,000 B.C. The oldest discovery of a tattooed mummy was the “Iceman”. The frozen body was discovered by hikers in 1991. The tattoos discovered on the body had no specific drawing there were just straight lines and small crosses. This led to believed that tattooing was used as a therapeutic to relieve pain. The Egyptians hold the true claim to fame regarding tattoos. It was common practice for Egyptian women of high status to received tattoos for the same sort of therapeutic reasons. “Tattooing of ancient Egyptian women had a therapeutic role and function as a permanent form of amulet during the very difficult time of pregnancy and birth” (Line berry 2).

In different modern culture people often express themselves with tattoos. People express their beliefs and, in some cases, prove themselves, like fight to prove that they are worthy to be in that culture. Some cultural tattoos, like ones from Japan, can tell a story or indicate one’s social status. People have to prove to themselves and the other members of their culture that they belong. Cultural tattooing has many different meanings to many different cultures.

The history of tattooing date back to the first man, Otzi, in 3300 B.C. who was found frozen in the Alps (Nat-A-Tat2) and the history piercing date back to different primitive tribes for their beliefs (Tribu). Scientists say that the tattoos he had were for medical reasons. When they found his body, they took X-rays and where there were tattoos was where his bones had started to decay. His tattoos were on his back, knees, ankles, and feet. The ink used on his tattoos was made of powdered charcoal and rubbing it into his cut skin. Many ancient civilizations did tattoos and piercings for example the Egyptians, Greeks, Japanese, Arabian and Siberians. Many mummies have been found with tattoos and are the oldest bodies to be found with gauged or stretched earlobes (Tibu). The Egyptians were also the ones who brought tattooing to Greece and to Arabia (Nat-A-Tat2). In Japan, tattoos were used for beauty, beliefs “and to mark criminals” (Nat-A-Tat2).

The art of tattooing dates back to four thousand years. Historically tattoos represent many ideas. I chose three tattoos in meaning and symbolism. I selected a phoenix, dragon, and a cross. First I tell you about the phoenix.This fiery bird is known in a variety of cultures, each with their own meaning and symbolism of the phoenix. The phoenix is a mythical creature said to be immortal. It is depicted with great plumage that is typically set ablaze. It is legend that it set itself aflame to die and is born again three days later from the ashes.

In order to fully understand this significance, one must first understand what a tattoo actually is. Dictionary.com states that a tattoo is “the act or practice of marking the skin with indelible patterns, pictures, legends, etc., by making punctures in it and inserting pigments” (2016). Knowing this definition allows people to understand that tattooing is considered an art--even by the dictionary’s definition. When people

Answer 1: Many people choose to get tattoos for multiple reasons and while these individuals view it on a personal level, sociologist understand there are trends and outside influences involved when it comes to “getting inked”. According to Kang and Jones, individuals get tattoos as it allows them to define who they are, gain a sense of belonging, and identify with their own personal struggles (42). As teenagers and young adults go out into the world they often have a desire to control their own life and make their own choices. They may wish to express themselves in a permanent, artistic way, that gives them a sense of freedom. For others tattooing connects them with a group they feel attached to. For example, neo-primitives typically cover their whole bodies in artistic tattoos and consider it a way of connecting with the past and yourself spiritually (45). On a more common level, individuals will get a tattoo of a sports team they played on, or a symbol that belongs to their culture or religion. Their tattoos will remind them of who they are and what truly matters to them. Lastly, some choose to get tattoos because they’ve overcome a deep personal battle. It varies from cancer survivors, to veterans, or even those who have dealt with self-harm. Understandably, there are numerous social reason why individuals decide to obtain a tattoo.

Author Carrie Read reports on ancient tattooing in China, beginning with the Tang dynasty (618-907). Barbarians tattooed their bodies according to tribal beliefs and slaves were tattooed as punishment, Read explains (361). In the Kirghiz culture women tattooed the "nape of the neck" to indicate marital status. This is a very interesting scholarly source.

Many people now have tattoos since they are so widely accepted throughout many cultures. Tattoos have been around for a very long time and were used in many different ways. Montserrat states that tattoos were a part of the cultures in North America, Europe, Japan, China, Ancient Rome, and Ancient Greece. Many modern cultures have learned to accept the fact that tattoos do not mean the same things they used to. In the past, they were used as identifying slaves and criminals (Montserrat). Tattoos were used to remind people of the journeys they had taken and was used by members of the military (Montserrat). According to Montserrat, “From the late 20th century, many American and European celebrities had tattoos, as did many members of youth culture,

Once bound to a few specific subcultures, the tattoo industry has seen a major boom in recent years. Now, tattooing is on its way into the mainstream with forty percent of Americans age twenty-six to forty bearing one (“World’s Tattoos” 2010). The practice of embedding pigment into the skin to leave permanent marks has presented itself in traditional cultures the world over. Amongst the most notable are the Polynesians, whose custom of tattowing gave rise to the tattoos we see today (“World’s Tattoos” 2010).

Tattoos have been prevalent in Polynesian culture for over 2,000 years. (PBS.org) This is where the modern tattoo first originated, getting its name from the Polynesian word "tatau", and where it has thrived as a cultural tradition of honor and courage. In Samoa, tattoos are given by hand, and the trade is passed down from father to son after years of practice and apprenticeship. Tattooing begins when a male of noble rank, such as a chief, hits puberty and marks his status for all to see. This traditional ceremony leaves indelible marks symbolic of the courage and the dedication to the culture needed to endure the pain. Samoan culture marked any man a coward, forever marked with his shame, if he did not receive a tattoo or complete the one that was started. In Hawaii tattoos were used to represent levels of distinction and also to aid people in their spiritual well-being. Some of the most common tattoos or kakau were images of the lizard which was revered and feared by the Hawaiian people and the crescent fan that marked the highest ranking members of society. Many intricate woven patterns that mimicked nature were used, but the exact meanings of these markings were lost because of the secrecy involved in the art of tattooing. The idea that tattooing was a secret art shows the importance of this ritual to Hawaiian society, and the Kahunas who administered the tattoos

In a recent Fox News poll, an astounding one in five voters in America admitted to having at least one tattoo (Blanton, 2014). Body art has become increasingly popular over the past several years among a wide range of individuals. With so much attention on tattoos, it is a wonder how and when tattooing began. However, no one really knows for certain when tattooing began, or how it began for that matter. The belief is that tattooing began “at least by 3300 BCE. That is how far back anthropologists have dated an iceman named Otzi, who was discovered in the Alps between Austria and Italy in 1991” (Nagle, 2009). Though anthropologists have an idea of when tattooing began, there is no evidence as to how the first tattoo was created.

In the world there is a small renegade group that attaches themselves to the world of body art. In this world of body art one of the most ancient and widely practiced of these is the art of tattooing. This art form may very well be as old as the pyramids themselves if not predating the great structures as we know them. There is not a single culture that rest on the planet that does not indulge in this practice for one reason or another. Often times the views on this art form are very extreme ranging from distain to adoration. Tattooing is a body art heritage that acts as a cultural connection to our deepest roots as people.

The beginning of the modern history of the tattoo can be dated back to 1769, when the term “tattoo” was first introduced into the English language. British explorer, Captain James Cook, had traveled to Polynesia and observed Tahitians practicing “tattowing.” In his account, the men and women of Tahiti painted their bodies by imbedding black color under their skin, “in such a manner as to be indelible…” (Perzanowski 2013). Even though Cook’s account of the practice was recorded in his account, the first written reference of the word tattoo resides in the journal of Joseph Banks, the botanist and naturalist who traveled with Cook. It was derived from the Samoan word tatau (Isaacs 2012). From obtaining a very thin and flat piece of bone or shell,