There was a time when tattoos were associated with prisoners, sailors, and mobsters. This explains the tattoo taboo culture that we have had up until recently and one that continues around the world. When people think of a tattoo they might also tend to think of unhygienic and unhealthy conditions, hard drugs for the pain and lack of the proper equipment.
Tattoo Taboo?
When we look at how vehemently tattoos are rejected as a vice in some societies today, it is easy to mistake tatting for a social media trend that has cropped up in the twenty-first century alone. Nevertheless, most forms of body embellishments and body art have been around for thousands of years.
There are still people who associate tattoo culture with having done jail time and rightfully so. We have come a long way in terms of acceptance. Now world leaders like Prince Charles have tattoos and did Obama really joke about wanting to get a tattoo? Yes, he did!
Freedom of Expression and Uniqueness or Self-Mutilation?
Should we see tattoos for what they really are, a form of expression and body art or a form of body mutilation and hazardous taboo? Here is all you need to know about tattoos from history till now before you get one or your next one.
The Rich History of Tattoos
The word tattoo has its roots in the Tahitian phrase “tatau” which means “to strike” mimicking the tapping sound of tattooing instruments used in ancient Polynesian cultures to ink. But these were hardly the only peoples around the globe to use permanent body decorations.
Early Man Tatted!
Perhaps the earliest sign that there was tattooing long before they could write is seen in clay figurines discovered in Japan and dated back to 5000 BCE or older. A more eerie piece of evidence is a human mummy dated to around the Bronze age (3300BCE) who lived in the Alps near the Austria and Italian border. The oldest human mummy ever found was preserved naturally and was found to have –get this– 61 tattoos! He would be the oldest of more than 50 other locations where human mummies were found with tattoo markings. Moving away from the Halloween theme, lets visit the Middle Earth (not really).
Ancient Egyptian Tattoos
More mummies -seriously this is the last of the eerie stuff- were found in modern day Egypt that bore the markings of a tattoo culture. These are relatively recent dating back just around 2000BCE.
According to Daniel Fouquet’s research, tattooing may have even been used as a sort of medical therapy in ancient Egypt.
His analysis of the many scars discovered on the mummified body of the priestess Hathor leads him to hypothesize that the marks may have served as a form of pelvic peritonitis therapy. Another intriguing finding concerning tattooing in ancient Egypt is that it appears to have exclusively been done on women’s skin.
This idea is backed by the fact that there is little to no physical or artistic evidence that males were frequently tattooed. However, this custom was altered when Nubian males began getting tattoos during the Meroitic era, which lasted between 300 BC and 400 CE.
The Egyptians were not unique in this practice as there is evidence that this had spread to other regions like Alaska, Mongolia, Greenland, China, Sudan, Philippines and Russia.
Classical Greece and Rome
Tattooing was practiced in Greece as early as the fifth century BCE, according to written documents. In Greece and Rome during this time, tattoos were mostly reserved for social misfits. Slaves, prisoners of war, and criminals would all have status markings.
After conquering the Samians, the Athenians tattooed owls onto them as a renowned illustration of the usage of tattoos by the Ancient Greeks. Evidence suggests that tattooing was mentioned in their ancient writings using the term “stizein,” which meant to pierce.
There is proof that both warriors and those who made weapons in Ancient Rome had tattoos. This tradition is said to have persisted up to the ninth century.
Later slaves were also identified with tattoo markings
China and the Polynesian Nations
Numerous mummies with tattoos on their skin have been discovered in certain graves in the Xinjiang area of western China. Some mummies are much older, dating to roughly 550 BC, while others are much younger, dating as as far back as 2100 BC. Tattooing was stigmatized and seen as barbarous in traditional Chinese culture.
Folk heroes and criminals are described in ancient Chinese literature as having tattoos. Additionally, it is believed to have been rather typical for condemned criminals to have a tattoo on their face. This tattoo served as a warning to other people in the community that this individual was not to be trusted.
Among ancient Tahitian tribes, marks made on the body had an impact on one’s lifetime and beyond. There were special marks on each occasion. For instance women would receive pregnancy marks to protect their unborn. There were also marks to distinguish slaves and concubines. Inks were made from nature with vegetable extracts and soot which made most of them dark.
What makes Samoan Tattoos Stand Out?
Samoan cultural practices have included tattooing for thousands of years. A fantastic illustration of how tattoos may become an essential component of societal culture is seen in the history of tattooing in Samoa.
In Samoa, it has been customary to give and receive tattoos by hand for more than 2000 years. The methods and resources employed in this age-old profession have scarcely altered at all. Father to son instruction and transmission of the expertise.
Among ancient Tahitian tribes, marks made on the body had an impact on one’s lifetime and beyond. There were special marks on each occasion. For instance women would receive pregnancy marks to protect their unborn. There were also marks to distinguish slaves and concubines. Inks were made from nature with vegetable extracts and soot which made most of them dark.
What Has Changed About Tattoo-ing Then vs Now?
I would say the reasons and implements used for inking have changed a bunch. Tattooing in ancient times was a painful ordeal that lasted days, weeks and lifetimes. It was a ritual, a rite or passage or some other almost mandatory exercise that tribe members had to undergo as part of assuming their role in society. For instance, warriors, chiefs or even slaves would be tatted to denote their role in society. Yet others used tattoo marking to ward off evil spirits and as a form of worship and reverence to supreme beings.
In the west, up until the middle of the 20th century, tattoos were not extremely popular or considered socially acceptable. They were previously only available to a select group of people, mostly those working in the entertainment business. People with extensive tattoos have grown to be a draw in and of themselves.
Tatting as it has now been christened has gained popularity over the last decade that society now begins to question some of the misconceptions and taboos surrounding tattoos. Suddenly, bosses are less concerned about tattoos and body piercings when hiring spearheaded by the media and creative industries.
And Now, Tattoo Fire Burns On Social Media.
We now perceive tattoos as a form of expression and individuality. They are supposed to symbolize uniqueness and often bond with others. Some fields are continuing to see tattoos that were otherwise kept hidden becoming more visible and even creeping the neck and face.
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