History
To presume to be able to write a concise history of the ancient art
of tattoo here, is
to belittle the complexity and diverse nature of its' roots.
Therefore, let this "history"
serve as a whetting of your appetite to know and search for more.
Evidence of tattooing exists dating back to 12,000 years before Christ.
Archaeological
a
and anthropological digs have brought forth the discovery of clay dolls
with tattoo like
pictures on them. These specimens date to the Third and Forth Dynasties
of Egypt, the
time of the building of the great pyramids.
The discovery of two separate bodies found frozen and preserved dating
back
4,000 years and in separate mountain ranges indicate the "universal"
nature of the art.
Tattoos have traditionally evolved from strictly utilitarian purposes to
the more decor-
ative form we're accustomed to seeing today. Earliest examples were
geometric in
design and had very specific meanings. They were used to mark a rite
of passage
(event or date in a life distinguishing some sort of maturity level), to
distinguish between
one tribe or another, to verify one's standing withing a tribe and/or to
secure passage into
the "next" world.
These tattoos were surrounded with ceremony and mystery.
The "artist" was usually
the medicine person of the tribe. The application was done with a
sharp object and
so
soot, or repeated cuttings were made to form a raised scar (scarification).
As the Egyptian empire expanded so did the culture. Tattoos traveled
to Crete,
Greece, Persia and Arabia. Eventually it led to China. In the
Mediterranean, Greeks
and Romans were using utilitarian markings to differentiate criminals from
not, and
t
to denote levels of security clearance of its' spys. The Ainu
of Western Asia traveled
taking the art to Japan. Burma, Borneo and the Sea Dayak further
spread the tradition.
Polynesians traveled to New Zealand, where the Maori facial tattoo came
into being.
The Mayan, Incan and Aztec cultures have left evidence of tattooing in
Mexico and
Peru. In Western Europe, pre Celtic Iberians in the British Isles
tattooed, as did the
Gauls. The Danes, Scots and Anglo Saxons followed suit.
One of the preserved bodies marked a profound difference in tattoo history.
The
markings, rather than geometric, were animal representations. This
signifies the chance
from strictly utilitarian tattooing to decorative tattooing. However,
each of the afore-
mentioned societies combined utilitarian tattooing with decorative purposes,
ranging
from marking one's social status, to the more spiritual markings
of their respective
religions.
The early history of western tattooing ended in 787AD, when Pope Hadrian
banned
the artform. The heavily tattooed body of King Harold being identified
from the battlefield
by his wife's name tattooed on his chest in 1066 was the last heavily tattooed
person
mentioned until the art reemerged in the 1600's in Western European society.
Explorer Willian Dampier brought heavily tattooed Prince Giolo to London
from
the south seas where he was placed on display. His Polynesian tribal
tattoos were the
precursor of today's tribal designs.
During this time, Japanese tattooing flourished. The tattoo was used
to mark
criminals, the marks being placed on their foreheads. The 1700's
brought laws that
regulated dress, diet and other forms of conspicious consumption among
the classes.
Royalty were the only ones allowed to wear ornate clothing. This
resulted in the
Japanese tattooed body suit. It was, in effect, the lower classes
way of also being
ooooooo ooo
ornately dressed. The tattoo resembled a kimono, the sleeves ending
just below the
elbow to keep it hidden from the law. The front was open to the chest
or waist to
allow the escape of demons or bad spirits, keeping with religious tradition.
In the late 1700's Captain Cook traveled to the South Pacific. He
brought Omai
back with him. Omai was a heavily tattooed man. Again, London
was audience to
another tattoo sensation.
Tattooing became a fad during this time with the utilitarian nature almost
entirely
giving way to the decorative nature. The process, however, was slow
and arduous.
In 1891, Samuel O'Reilly patened the first electric tattoo machine.
This allowed a
revived fad due to the work being so much faster and readily available.
The 1900's has seen both utilitarian and decorative use of tattoos.
Concentration
c
camp survivors of the Nazi era still bear the marks. Members of various
groups
proudly wear the insigna of their particular group ranging from typical
military tattoos
to street gang markings.
Cultural anthropologists believe that tattoos serve society by bringing
a ritual to
cultures that lack communal rites. It is also suggested that wartime
stimulates the
demand for tattoos because the "permanence" represented can be a substitution
for a
loss of control felt by a society or group of people. Tattoos have
been found to release
the
same chemicals in the brain as does cocaine use, making them possibly quite
addictive.
In our modern societies, tattoos are again extemely popular. It could
be because we live in a tim
live in a time with a lack of tradition. People are searching for
something that ties them
together in a society where little else does. It could be a
way of expressing individuality
at a time when there's so few ways to do so. It could be for the
love of the art.
Modern tattooing has become more acceptable. Regulations exist in
mose cities/
states in an attempt to make it a safe practice, in this age of disease.
Soot has been
replaced by synthetic pigment dye. For the most part, all of society
can afford a
tattoo in a safe environment.
While tattoo shops can be found virtually everywhere due to the demand
at this time,
that does not mean that everyone doing them is aware or respects the history
or
tradition of the art. However, one thing is certain: there
are those who do. Therefore,
as a 14,000 year old history shows, the art will survive long after those
who do not
respect it are gone. My guess is that it will be for exactly the
same reasons: rites of
p
passage, "tribe" affiliation and spiritual beliefs.
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