...Tattoo culture and influence in society Nowadays, tattoo has been regarded as a sign of fashion. “A trend that started growing in America and Europe in the early '90s, tattooing soon became so popular that 36% of Americans aged 25-29 had at least one body tattoo by 2003(Julie Genser 2007).” However, tattoo could probably bring health risks to tattoo carrier. Historically, tattoo originally is the nation’s cultural and symbolic, different tattoo pictures have own meaning and even it is a symbol of authority. This paper will argue that the ink of tattoo injecting into our skin has lead to increase health risk. And then this paper will discuss why tattoo is so popular even it is harmful people’s health. Finally, the essay will discuss tattoo is not only a historical heritage, but also stimulates the development of the economy. Early Tattoo’s culture The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word tattau. It means "to mark" and was first mentioned in explorer James Cook’s records from his 1769 expedition to the South Pacific. Some scientists say that certain marks on the skin of the Iceman, a mummified human body starting from about 3300 B.C., are tattoos. In fact, tattoos were found on Egyptian and Nubian mummies starting from about B.C. One of the earliest tattoos was tribal tattoos. Tattoos have different meaning in different cultural tribes. For example, Polynesian people would add more and more tattoos to themselves even until their body was completely covered. They believed...
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...Rebecca Rashid published in the Washington Square News, an article on “Tattoo Tolerance: Older Generation Must Embrace Body Art.” Rashid’s article has brought light over the controversy of whether or not tattoos and body art are acceptable in the workplace, and how having these body modifications can affect they way that you as an individual are perceived in society. Employers are starting to see the results of how hiring tattooed employees affects their business. Even with the art of tattooing becoming more popular, the negative stigma around body modification is still heavily present amongst older generations and communities. Often times these tattoos of self-expressing art tell stories about the person who adorns the design. Ranging from...
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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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...Rhetorical Analysis The trend of tattoos in today’s society has grown into much more than just a trend. Just take a look around, there is a plethora of people with ink stained skin. Even the unexpected people may have some ink under their clothing. While tattooing is a growing industry, people have varying opinions on the subject. Some see tattooing as degrading to one’s body, harmful to our society, and just dirty and unsophisticated. Others will look at a tattoo and see art, a story, or a way of expressing oneself. In this rhetorical analysis of Ink Sessions, where Margot Miffin explores the idea that tattoos and the artists creating them are more than society gives credit for, we will analyze how effective her message is. Miffin is trying to prove that tattoos and artists are much more, that they can actually have a healing effect on a person. Miffin starts the article by introducing Roxx, a tattoo artist who owns the 2Spirit Tattoo studio. Roxx, a very unique tattooist, who works with a style not many women do, called blackwork. She turned to this form of tattooing because it is different, and she knew merely tattooing pictures on skin was not for her. Roxx has been developing her style since she was a kid. She started off learning to draw horses with her grandmother, and then moved to Amsterdam where she tattooed at a street shop. Her style gives her work life, emotion, and meaning, something that touches the hearts of her clients. She does this by getting to know them...
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...A tattoo is a marking made by inserting indelible ink into the layers of skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons. Tattoos on humans are a type of decorative body modification, while tattoos on animals are most commonly used for identification or branding. (wikipedia) The oldest mummy every found - dated back to the Bronze Age of Europe - is also the oldest example of tattooing. The mummy had 59 tattoos, including stripes, lines and cruciform marks on various parts of his body, and thus began the history of tattoos. No one is sure of the meaning of the tattoos. Some may have been marking from his tribe, others may have been from rituals or even from medical procedures. Speculation abounds, but true reasons will be difficult to determine unless new evidence is found. (tattooslovetoknow) Women (and only women) were tattooed in Egypt in 1550 BC. While tattooing seems to have been around in Egypt before this time, this is when the simple dot and dash designs began to morph into recognizable forms, although most were still largely stick figures. In 316 A.D., the first known written ban on tattooing is found. Constantine, recently converted to Christianity, prohibited tattooing on the face as it was disfiguring that "which had been fashioned in the likeness of divine beauty." (tattooslovetoknow) Much of the tattooing done during this time period was often to identify tribes or families, mark criminals and spies, ward off illness or injury...
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...The word tattoo is said to has two major derivations- from the polynesian word ‘ta’ which means striking something and the tahitian word ‘tatau’ which means ‘to mark something.Tattoos have been marked onto the bodies of human- beings for thousands of years. They are permanent designs that carry true meaning and have been looked at as status symbols, signs of religion, declaration of love, belief and even forms of punishment. Tattooing has been observed on Egyptian wall painting and also on Mummies themselves. The earliest tattoos found were over 5,000 years old. In 1991, a 5,300- year- old mummy was discovered in The Alps. He had over 50 tattoos on various parts of his body, and he is the oldest human ever found to have tattoos. Tattooing has been practiced in Japan and also other Asian countries for thousands of years. The first written record of tattooing in Japan was found in a history of the Chinese Dynasty from the year 297 A.D. Today in Japan, tattooing is considered taboo because many of the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, wear tattoos. Some people believe that the practice of tattooing may even date as many as 10,000 years into the past! What's This? Have you ever wondered how people tattoo their bodies when they don’t have access to a tattoo gun or a professional tattoo artist? You may be surprised to learn that many people have tattooed their skin using Indian ink, a sewing needle and a few lengths of the thread. India ink (or Indian ink in British English...
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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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...for 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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...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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...Body Art: Tattoo Tattooing is a form of body art that allows people to express various forms of meanings and messages. Body art, in general, is a “visual language” that can demonstrate accomplishments, display desires and memories, and serve as an identity to exhibit a person’s status in society (Schildkrout 107). However, tattooing can often be misinterpreted and misunderstood, leaving either negative or positive perspectives upon the person that is tattooed. According to Enid Schildkrout, an anthropologist who examined the diverse cultural meanings of body art, body art is “not just the latest fashion”. Rather it is a way of expressing “individuality, social status, and cultural identity”. Tattooing is used in different groups and cultures, and is also processed using different techniques. In Body Art as Visual Language, it is stated that the Japanese would work by hand by using a collection of needles set in a wooden handle. In Polynesian culture, tattooist would pierce the skin with a hammer-like instrument to mark the body. Steve Gilbert published a collection of historical records of tattooing throughout the world from ancient to present times. He states that in New Zealand, people practice Moko, which was a unique form of decorating the face with “intricate spirals that were incised into the skin to make scars in the form of parallel ridges and grooves” (67). Creating these marked ridges and groove features required the instrument to “penetrate deeply into the flesh”...
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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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...has spread and become an integral part of many societies. Tattooing traditions, techniques, and methods vary from culture to culture. This ancient, traditional art form is rooted in Polynesian origins. The English word “tattoo” comes from the Tahitian word “tatau,” which roughly translates to “marking or striking something” and “to inflict wounds” (Arp, 2012). In Polynesian mythology, it was believed that humans learned this art from the gods. Tattooing then became a skill passed down from generation to generation. Artists, also known as “tufuga,” were highly trained males who taught their sons the responsibilities of traditional tattooing (Losch, 2003). Some...
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...“What causes people to get tattoos?” Tonny Cobos SOC100030VA016-1146-011 August 18, 2014 What causes people to get tattoos? Who doesn’t have a tattoo or know someone who does in modern society? 16% of all adults in the United States have at least one tattoo (Harvard Health). In today's society tattoos are completely acceptable. America is the melting pot of the world where diversity and cultures are welcomed. Society is begging to accept “ink”. People that work in business usually have them where they are not easily seen, but a roofer for example it is okay to have them where they are easily seen. If a tattoo is placed appropriately on your body and it is something tasteful, why not. Many celebrities state “tattoos aren't there just to look cool and different. Tattoos have special meaning and they are real, permanent tattoos” (Johnson). This is in no way supposed to stereotype anyone, but to answer some questions about why a person would decide to get something permanently imprinted on their skin.” First there is the reason of a loved one (Jackson).Then there are religious tattoos, many people get this tattoo as a sign of devotion to their beliefs, and is very commendable (Jackson). Next there is the military tattoo Jackson (2007).Then there is the just for fun tattoo. Finally there is the “oh no” mistake tattoo. Of course there will be tattoos that do not fit into any of these categories, but these are definitely common reasons. Tattoos remind people of their roots...
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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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...TATTOOING IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH- THE CULTURE OF TRIBAL TATTOING Tattoo is a pattern of body alteration by infixing ink into the skin to change the pigment. Years before celebrities and rock stars, tattoos were used by all tribal population across the globe, whether it was the Hausa and Fulani people of Nigeria or the Noctes, Apatanis and the Wanchos of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh are well known for its unique style of tattooing different parts of the body serves for personal decorations and social taboos are there behind the tattooing. Noctes and the Wanchos are the most famous tribes known for their amazing design and style of tattooing. Many tribes of Arunachal Pradesh used to tattoo different parts of the body as a means of personal decoration and in some cases, certain religious or social taboos were there behind the tattooing. The most famous tribes known for tattooing are the Noctes and Wanchos of Tirap district. Nocte men generally did not tattoo their faces or bodies except for a few cases where men were tattooed on the face and the chest. Tattooing of women was common in all Nocte villages. Women were generally tattoed on the arms and the back and the common design was normally big stars with cross lines joining the ends. In some of the areas, girls were tattooed after puberty and in some other cases it was done by the maternal uncle of the girl. Faces of the small girls were tattooed on chin with a diamond and line through it. Besides face...
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