Humans have marked their bodies with tattoos for thousands of years and for different reasons across the world. Through the course of time the representation of tattoos have been associated with gangs, tribes, religion, and played a significant role within different countries.
Tattoos consist of marking the skin with colour pigments by repeatedly puncturing the skin with a sharp object (needle). “The word tattoo is said to have two major derivations- from
the Polynesian word ‘ta’ which means striking something and the tahitian word ‘tatau’ which means ‘to mark something”(designboom) .
the Polynesian word ‘ta’ which means striking something and the tahitian word ‘tatau’ which means ‘to mark something”
The earliest form of tattoos can be dated back to over 5000 years ago (Rachuy, 2010) . ‘ötzi the ice man’ (a frozen mummy) was discovered in 1991 on a mountain between the Italian-Austrian border. The corpse contained roughly 57 observable tattoos on his body (Rachuy, 2010) . Experts believe that the tattoos were therapeutic to ease joint pains, due to the location of the tattoos; on his ankle joints, knee, and lower spine (Rachuy, 2010) .
Also, sailors traditionally got tattoos of an anchor and/or of beautiful ladies. Sailors began tattooing when Captain Cook met the tattooed indigenous of the South Pacific in the 16th century. “The Captain's sailors wanted a memento of their adventures and the exotic tattoo seemed the perfect souvenir, thus beginning the tattooing of sailors”(Rachuy, 2010).
The representation of tattoos has changed over the years, whereby the negative association with tattoos has less or no effect on individuals now. Today, people get tattoos out of love, lost (in memory of), rebellion, and no reason (it was the spur-of-the-moment, usually when drunk). Our generations have become more immune to tattoos and see it as a freedom of expression.
There is still group of people and country/culture association from tattoos. In a gang, a tattoo represented their personal skills and accomplishment as gang member. For example, in Britain if a person has dot tattooed on his left cheek meant he was in prison. In the United States a teardrop tattooed near the eye would indicated that they killed someone or his friend did.
Also, the purpose of tattooing has evolved and changed over time. Back in history tattoo was a form of collective representation of a group of people such tribes and religious groups. Today, tattoos are a form of individualism, expressing the ideology of a particular individual.
designboom. (n.d.). Retrieved 2012, from a brief history of tattoos : http://www.designboom.com/history/tattoo_history.html
Rachuy, C. (2010, June 28). Retrieved January 2012, from Tattoos: The Histroy and Evolution of Human Body Art: http://christine-rachuy.suite101.com/tattoos-the-history-and-evolution-of-human-body-art-a255163
