Tattooing has been a part of human society for thousands of
years and can be found among ancient and native cultures throughout the world.
The earliest tattoo to date was found on the famous "Iceman" mummy. Estimated
to have lived around 3300 BC and discovered in 1991 in the northern Italian
Alps, the mummy revealed approximately 57 tattoos on its ankles, back of the
knees and lower back. It is believed that these tattoos were for medicinal
purposes, possibly a form of ancient acupuncture.
Tattoos have also been found on Egyptian mummies (though
only female) and are evidenced in many cultures worldwide, including Greek,
Ainu, Mayan, Aztec, Norse and Saxon. Tattooing in Asia is thousands of years
old.
Polynesians have one of the richest tattooing cultures in
the world. The word tattoo comes from Tahitian word "tatu" which
means "to mark something." The history of the tattoo in the
Polynesian culture reaches back over two thousand years, and Polynesian tattoos
are considered among the most detailed and complex. For Polynesians, tattooing
is considered spiritual and sometimes can cover the entire body. Even today,
the tradition of tattooing by hand is considered almost sacred by Polynesians,
and the craft is passed from father to son, much like serving an
apprenticeship.
The Hawaiian culture is renowned for its tattoos. In the
Hawaiian society, traditional tattoo art, known as kakau, is performed not only
for the purposes of individualism and ornamentation but also to guard one's
spirit, health and well-being. Hawaiian tattoos are typically intricate,
mimicking elements of nature such as leaves, reeds, plants, and certain
creatures of nature such as lizards, tortoises, butterflies or fish.
Around 1000 AD, Polynesian settlers found their way to New
Zealand and became known as the Maori. By the 18th and 19th centuries, the
Maori had developed their culture significantly. One notable aspect of their
culture was the development and use of the tattoo, which was called the moko.
In this culture, the tattoo or moko, was used to depict societal status, tribal
affiliation and ancestry. Known for the full face tattoo, the Maori tattooing
was actually performed by carving and chiseling the skin. Being master carvers
of wood, the Maori used their skill to create intricate designs in their skin
too. The tradition of tattooing or carving also expanded to the lower torso,
extending from the waist to the knees.
All Polynesian peoples have a common thread when it comes to
tattoos. They believe that a person's spirit or life force can be represented
in their tattoo and thus it has a tremendous significance among their society.
Regardless of purpose, tattoos have played an important role
in ritual and tradition. As described above, the motivation for having a tattoo
can stem from a variety of reasons. Over time, society's elite such as royalty
and czars have had tattoos to distinguish themselves from the rest of their
social order. In a negative sense, some cultures have used tattoos for just the
opposite purpose -to distinguish an element of their society for the purpose of
discrimination or segregation.
Regardless of the reason or the society, there can be no
dispute that the tattoo has a place in history. This is also true in American
society, where the tattoo has evolved tremendously. It was in the United States
that the first electric tattoo gun was developed, based upon the technology and
principles of Thomas Edison. It was this tattoo gun that revolutionized the art
of tattooing by making the process simpler for artists and also for those
getting tattoos.
Prior to the seventies, the tattoo was considered the mark
of bikers, sailors, freaks, and carnival ride operators and was held in disdain
by most of American society (except for Hawaiians). While in the 1940's during
World War II many in the service got a tattoo, the process of getting a tattoo
was considered an "underground" activity subject to health concerns,
and considered dangerous by many.
However, in the seventies, tattooing started
to take on a new significance during a time when the American society was
undergoing many cultural changes. These cultural changes, included the
development and increased popularity of civil rights, as well as gay and
lesbian, peace advocate and women's lib groups. The peace sign and the
marijuana leaf became very popular in the late sixties and seventies as a sign
of counter-culture beliefs as tattooing started to creep into the middle class
of American society.
Today, tattooing is more popular than ever with some
claiming that as many as a third of Americans under the age of forty have a
tattoo. With this popularity, the tattoo parlor has largely evolved to become a
safer, more acceptable place in society and even tattooists are now being considered
among the ranks of American artists, more and more having an education in art
and/or health.
Alan Mischler is an Internet Marketer and a Business
Consultant. He has a wife and three daughters and his wife and oldest daughter
have tattoos. While he does not have a tattoo himself, he is interested in
learning more about tattoos, their origin, history and safety aspects. His blog
is dedicated to learning more about tattoos from the "layman's"
perspective.
Everything Tattoo
History Of Tattoos
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=EA_Mischler
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