...The History of Tattoos Rebecca Tanner Axia College of University of Phoenix What is all the hype revolving around tattoos truly about? There are so many answers to this question yet it can only truly be answered by the individuals who get them. For many it is simply a form of expression but history shows that there are reasons that some may have never considered, such as the medical purposes for getting tattoos. Although they are becoming more and more popular, tattoos have been a form of artistic, spiritual, and medical expression for centuries. Tattoos have been a form of expression for centuries Tattoos date back for centuries. Over the course of time, archaeologists have found evidence of the existence of tattoos on mummified remains as well as other artifacts. According to Lineberry (2007), it was believed that the first evidence of tattoos existed in ancient Egypt where tattoos date back to 2000 B.C. and were found only on female remains. This has since been disputed with the discovery of Iceman in 1991. This frozen mummy had markings on his spine, knees, and ankles. Historians have also found clay figurines depicting Japanese individuals adorned with elaborate body art dating back to 5000 B.C. It was once thought that these were merely artifacts but later revealed to be depictions of actual individuals (Vanishing Tattoo, 2008). Tattoos have also been very prominent in Celtic history, with records indicating the existence of tattoos as far back as 1200...
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...Tattoo History In 3000 B.C. during the Late Stone Age, a man around the age of 45 or 46 died while walking near the present-day border between Austria and Italy. He lived to the south of the Alps near Lake Garda, in what is now known as northern Italy. This ancient man is called Ice Man, and he has some of the earliest known tattoos. Ice Man has tattoos of stripes and crosses in “strategic locations on the body” (Othmar), such as his calves. While his tattoos are invisible to the naked eye, using infrared photography, it was discovered that Ice man had 57 stripes in 16 groups along with both a large and a small cross-like mark in different places on his body where physical stress might cause him pain (Othmar). Throughout history, references to permanent markings have appeared. They have been discovered on the bodies of people who lived thousands of years before our time. There have been figurines decorated with what were probably the tattoos of the time, and tattoos are all around us in present day. Although tattoos have been around almost since the beginning of human history, the way they have been used and whether tattoos were seen in a positive light or a negative light has changed with each culture. In ancient cultures, the people believed that tattoos had magical significance or healing powers. Kitamura mentions one historical book about Japan that wrote about the discovery of clay figurines from the Jōmon period (10,000 B.C. - 300 B.C.) (Kitamura). Those clay figurines...
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...Extended Essays in Social and Cultural Anthropology These subject guidelines should be read in conjunction with the “Introduction”, “Outline” and “Details—all essays” sections of this guide. Overview An extended essay in social and cultural anthropology provides students with an opportunity to develop an awareness of what constitutes a distinctively anthropological approach to the organization of human life in society and culture. Extended essays should be based on published ethnographic research. Students are expected to demonstrate, in the presentation of the research, their knowledge and understanding of the methods and aims of social and cultural anthropology. Choice of topic Social and cultural anthropology is not a “residual” category for essays that do not fit into any other extended essay subject. Students must choose topics that lend themselves to anthropological investigation, and must carefully consider their choice of topic in terms of the assessment criteria. An extended essay in social and cultural anthropology should analyse a topic from a theoretical or comparative perspective, based on the student’s own original analysis and on a solid understanding of the theoretical issues concerned. Students who intend to tackle comparative projects must be aware that research strategies involving two or more societies may call for greater narrowing of the research focus than a study in a single society. For example, a comparative analysis of Mexican and...
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...History and Polynesian Tattoos History is all about studying past events and how they relate to human beings. The study of historical events informs us of the things that helped shape the world as we know it today. While most continue to evolve the way our predecessors did, some continue to carry on the traditions of the old world. Polynesian tattoos are one of those traditions that have withstood the test of time and maintained their heritage. In this paper I will cover the history of Polynesian tattoos and the events going on in the world at that time. On the basis of mythology, humans learned the art of tattooing from the 2 sons of the God of Creation Ta’aroa. Tattooing was operated by high trained shamans (tahua) in the religious ceremony, who was an expert in the meanings of the tattoo and skills of the art (www.apolynesiantattoo.com, 2014). The origin of the Samoan tatau is believed to have been introduced to the Samoa islands by two Fiji women, who came ashore with the tools and knowledge of tattooing. The tale proclaimed that the two sisters sang a song, which chanted that women are only to be tattooed, but as they neared the beach shores, the song mistakenly became reversed, indicating that only the men will be tattooed (www.nps.gov, 2014). Getting tattooed is a sacred ceremony in Polynesian culture. Tattoos and their location on the body were determined by one’s genealogy, position within the society and personal achievements (www.apolynesiantattoo.com). ...
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...Tattoos and the Role They've Played in Human History Com/172 University of Phoenix Tattoos and the Role They've Played in Human History Tattoos are a means of permanently marking the body with coloring by a way of piercing the skin. This form of art articulates the body as well as the psyche. This body modification can be found in every culture around the world, with some of its earliest findings dating back as far as 10,000 BCE (Lineberry, 2007). History shows the symbolisms behind tattoos vary from one society to the next. These markings may be for therapeutic purposes in one part of the world while showing social status in another, and in turn, a way of branding criminals in an additional region. Although tattoos have many different significances, wavering with each different culture, there is no doubt they are a significant part of human history. Professor Don Brothwell and Cate Lineberry, stated a man found in ice around the Italian-Austrian border, had tattoos that may have been for therapeutic purposes. Post examination, they concluded that the disbursement of dots and small crosses on his body in the areas of his lower back, right knee, and ankle may relate to areas of "strain-induced degeneration". Suggesting that these tattoos were applied to ease joint pain and to explain why the tattoos on this man were not in places on the body that were easily displayed (Lineberry, 2007). In ancient Egyptian culture, tattoos were prominently found on women. These...
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...Tattoos Past and Present Debra Eng/101 9/15/11 Kimberly Stanley Tattoos Past and Present Some people may have tattoos and others may find them ugly or despise them but one thing is true, tattoos are a part of the past and understanding where they came from can give us a greater appreciation for them today. The Egyptians, the Japanese, the Chinese, and more all have elaborate art histories whether it is buried in the pyramids, the temples, the sculptures, or caves but how has our history books in school forgotten to mention the important history hidden in tattoos? Tattoos have many meanings, and they are different all over the world and there past leads directly to the present and if history repeats itself it may even tell us something about our future. In this essay creating a timeline to conclusively draw a line through history too today and understand the many traditions our culture still possesses. Tattoos are a common part of our life because of recent discoveries we can give tattoos a past that leads to the present. Iceman 3200 B.C. Tattoos are part of our life but we forget that they are not new, in fact tattoos have been around longer than we can significantly date. According to Lineberry, (n.d) the ”oldest man to this date found is believed to have lived 5,200 years ago and possessed about 57 tattoos all over his body in dot like formations, scientists believe because of the placement of the tattoos...
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...Tattoos: Art, History and the Changing Complexion The pain. The beauty. Sitting in the tattoo artist’s chair I wonder what am I doing? This is a lifelong commitment. People have been getting tattoos throughout history for many reasons: social, religious and cultural. Nowadays more people have tattoos and the percentage of people with tattoos is continuing to rise. Even though some people view it as the "devil's art", the changing culture and acceptance of tattoos is becoming more mainstream and viewed as an expression of individuality. Some people claim that tattoos have been around since 12000 B.C. Generally the earliest known tattoos are from the Iceman, a mummy found on what is now the Italian-Austrian border. The Iceman has been carbon dated as over 5000 years old. Prior to this discovery, Egyptian mummies were thought to show the earliest signs of tattoos. These tattoos usually were found on female mummies. The markings on the female represented their status and relation to the ruler or pharaohs of the time. As the Egyptian empire spread so did the influence of tattooing on other cultures and societies. Egyptians spread the art of tattoos throughout the world and different cultures adapted tattooing. Greeks used tattooing to mark rankings of spies, slaves and criminals. These markings were usually done on the face. Facial tattoos were also used in Japan on criminals. They were tattooed on the forehead with a design to signify a dog after three...
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...2013 Research Paper Tattoos From the time we are born until the time we are elderly we are constantly around tattoos. In the United States a person must be 18 before they can get a tattoo legally without parents consent. Therefore, many children like the idea of tattoos, so many put on temporary tattoos such as the stick on temporary ones with water and henna tattoos. A tattoo is a type of art where he or she gets a permanent picture or design process of pricking and ingraining an indelible pigment. The word tattoo is said to have came from two different origins the Polynesian word ‘ta’ which means striking something and the Tahitian word ‘tatau’ which means ‘to mark something (“Tattoo Temple”). Many people across the world have tattoos in all different sizes, colors, and places. Each person who has a tattoo has gotten it for one reason or another. It is amazing how long tattoos have been around for. One fact obtained from doing research is, “Believe it or not, some scientists say that certain marks on the skin of the Iceman, a mummified human body dating from about 3300 B.C., are tattoos” (Krcmarik). It is very interesting to know that tattoos have been around for this many years, it was until 1991 when the tattoos were discover on the Iceman by scientist Otzi. It is incredible how they were still able to discover these markings on the Iceman after so many years of being frozen. Many people over look tattoos as dumb useless art on the body, but many tattoos have a symbolic meaning...
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...March 21, 2010 Comfort Ugwuh Historical Body of Art "Tattooing" In 1936, Life Magazine provided information from an independent study showing approximately 6% of the nation's population had a tattoo; the Harris Poll conducted in 2003 showed that approximately 15% of the population had acquired tattoos (Swan, 2006). A similar study in 2005 revealed approximately 24% of the population then had at least one tattoo (Ford, 2010). Those two studies revealed statistics that illustrate the number of people in the United States with tattoos increasing astronomically. In 67 years the number of people with tattoos increased 9%, in just two years between 2003 and 2005 the United Stated witnessed the number of individuals with tattoos increase another 9%. Tattoos are still gaining acknowledgment in society today; the number of people with tattoos is increasing exponentially with athletes, musicians, and actors ushering a wave of acceptance. Figure 1 Tattoos have been evident in societies and the human race for thousands of years. Scientists have uncovered Egyptian mummies evidently preserved in the period as early as 2000 BC, analysis revealed evidence of tattooing and other forms of body art on their mummified bodies. The Egyptian tattooing thought to be one of the earliest appearances of tattoos came into question in 1991 with the discovery of Iceman (Lineberry, 2007). A pair of hikers in the Austrian Otztal Alps stumbled across the frozen tattooed corpse. Using modern carbon dating technology...
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...changed over time and how people look upon the groups of people with them. The idea on tattoos have been changed from 12000BC to this present day, some people believe they heal you and some believe it’s to indicate criminals and people who committed crimes and felonies (A Brief History of Tattoos). The history of tattoos has dated back to 12000BC and longer but no physical evidence can prove this theory. There is however physical prove of tattooing in the ancient Egyptians times. Mummies have been found with preserved patterns on their skin during their mummification process long ago. Around 1000BC the Chinese...
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...Tattoos and Piercings throughout Different World Cultures COM/150 Effective Essay Writing Tattoos and Piercings throughout Different World Cultures Did you know that almost a fourth of men and women between 18 and 50 years of age have at least one tattoo? How about that 15% of those people have at least one body piercing ("Northwestern University News Center," n.d.)? These statistics may be surprising, but the fact is that tattoos and piercings are growing increasingly more popular in today’s society. Although we can see that people of all ages have tattoos and piercings, they seem to be the most popular among teenagers and young adults. The popularity of these sometimes taboo actions have not always been so popular though, and while some people may perceive tattoos and piercings negatively; the fact is that they have many different meanings in cultures throughout the world. This essay will discuss a few of the different cultures in which tattoos and piercings can be seen. Both tattoos and piercings have been around for some time now. Tattoos are thought to have been around for thousands and thousands of years. Some scientists believe that the marks which were found on the mummified body of an iceman from 3300 B.C. could possibly be tattoos ("History Of Tattooing", 2003). Most piercings have been around for thousands of years as well. Piercings such as the nostril and the ear lobe date back to nearly 5000 years ago ("Body Piercing History", 1998). Among some people...
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...TATTOOS I t seems like everyone has tattoo these days. And it's not just anchors, skulls, and battleships. People have found many ways to express themselves with their tattoos. Tattoos are a form of body art, and like all art, some like them and some don't. Nowadays, elderly have bad impression about people with tattoo. As we see today even women are having tattoos. The purpose I choose this topic is to explain that tattoo is an art. THE HISTORY OF TATTOOS History shows that tattooing has existed since 12,000 years BC. The purpose of tattooing has varies from culture to culture and its place on the time line In Borneo, a woman’s particular skill is indicated when they tattooed their symbols on their forearm. Throughout history tattoos have signified membership in a clan or society. For an example, Hells Angels tattoo their particular group symbol. It has been believed that the wearer of an image calls the spirit of that image. The ferocity of a tiger would belong to the tattooed person. That tradition holds true today shown by the proliferation of images of tigers, snakes, and bird of prey. Egypt is the place where earliest tattoos can be found during the time of the construction of the great pyramids. As they expanded their empire, the art of tattooing spread as well. Around 2000 BC tattooing spread to China. Tattoo was used for the communication among spies in Greek. Romans marked criminals and slaves. This practice is still carried on today. The social status is showed...
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...Jessica Carr January 24, 2015 Enc 1102-325 The Big Tattoo Boom You see them everywhere you go. They are on the waitress who are serving you dinner, the veteran waiting for medical care, and even on the football players we watch on television. According to Dictionary.com, a tattoo is done by marking the skin with indelible patterns, pictures, and legends by making punctures in it and inserting pigments. Tattoos which date back to hundreds, even thousands of years ago have slowly grown into a booming business. Many things about the tattoo world have changed over time, from the tools and ink used, to designs, and even meanings behind the tattoos. I plan to explain how big of a business tattooing has come to be. There was a time when getting a tattoo wasn’t an expression or even a choice. According to the Lineberry’s article from the Smithsonian “In terms of tattoos on actual bodies, the earliest known examples were Egyptian and were present on several female mummies dating back to 2000 B.C.” Meanings of tattoos during the ancient years ranged from religious, to cultural, and even to represent skill or ownership. In the beginning tattoos weren’t given using the usual tattoo gun and ink like you would find today. Tattoos have changed a ton since first surfacing in ancient times. I’m sure the Egyptians never imagined tattooing would turn into a thriving business or a way for people to express themselves. In 1891, Samuel...
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...thousands of years, since at least 3250 B.C., says Marilyn Scallan in the article, “Ancient Ink: Iceman Otzi has Worlds Oldest Tattoos.” The first record of a tattooed human is Otzi, also known as the iceman (Scallan). According to Scallan, he was found buried along the border between Austria and Italy, in the possession of 61 tattoos. The article, “Looking at the World’s Tattoos” by the Smithsonian Magazine, writes that the art of tattooing has been practiced throughout the entire world at some time, from the native Americans, to Japan, India, New Guinea, and Europe. For over 2000 years, the many tribes and people living in Polynesia have had tattooing as an important cultural...
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...History of tatto in the world Tattooing has been a Eurasian practice at least since Neolithic times. Ötzi the Iceman, dating from the fourth to fifth millennium BC, was found in the Ötz valley in the Alps and had some 57 carbon tattoos consisting of simple dots and lines on his lower spine, behind his left knee, and on his right ankle. These tattoos were thought to be a form of healing because of their placement which resembles acupuncture.[19] Other mummies bearing tattoos and dating from the end of the second millennium BC have been discovered, such as the Mummy of Amunet from ancient Egypt and the mummies at Pazyryk on the Ukok Plateau.[5] Pre-Christian Germanic, Celtic and other central and northern European tribes were often heavily tattooed, according to surviving accounts. The Picts were famously tattooed (or scarified) with elaborate, war-inspired black or dark blue woad (or possibly copper for the blue tone) designs. Julius Caesar described these tattoos in Book V of his Gallic Wars (54 BC). 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. Tattooing in the Western world today has its origins in the maritime expeditions, throu the contact with amerindian tribes and Polynesia, by sixteenth - eighteenth century explorers. Especially the Polynesian practice became popular among European sailors, from them they took the Samoan word "tatau", to describe the actual...
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