History of Tattoos - Ancient Ink

Tattoos are a passionate topic today. People get tattoos for many reasons. Millions of variations have been applied and continue to be fashioned. But tattoos aren't a new craze. The history of tattoos is a novel, not a short story, and they've been here for a long time.

Oetzi The Iceman

Nobody can truly state just when the history of tattoos began. The most ancient recognized tattoo was exposed in 1991. It was found on a mummy named Oetzi, an Iceman dated to be not less than 5300 years old. His tattoos are comprised of horizontal and vertical lines. There is a certain amount of dispute as to the reason the tattoos are there.

Since discovering the remains, researchers have been able to do little but guess that this most primeval form of tattoo was for the purpose of fending off evil spirits, or that it might have been a certain type of rite-of-passage. The most widespread view is that the tattoos were designed for medicinal purposes.

Oetzi's fifty-seven tattoos are positioned on various joints of the body. The notion is that the tattoos were created as a type of acupuncture was applied to relieve tender joints. In the present day, the same locations are used for acupuncture. Additional ideas vary from social standing and ritual markings to ethnic inscription or just preference.

Collectively on his backbone and at the back of one knee and on one ankle, the Ice Man had approximately fifty-seven tattoos. Even though it's impossible to do more than speculate as to the actual rationale for them, it nevertheless demonstrates that tattoos aren't unique to the contemporary era.

Ancient Egypt

The Egyptians have one of the most renowned ancient cultures for tattoos. Dating back to 2100 BC, discovered mummies have been shown to be adorned in various tattoos. Women have been shown to display tattoo designs that were restricted to women only. These designs were generally a series of lines and dots around the body. Tattoos in Egyptian society are thought to have been forms of ritual markings.

Oriental Tattoos

In Japan, tattoos were first used on clay statues. These human shaped figures were representative of a deceased individual and have been discovered in the tombs of the person they resembled. The tattoos had been engraved or painted on the faces of the figures. It is thought that these designs have religious or mystical significance. The figures have been found in burying places that have been dated to 3,000 BC.

Japan's earliest recognizable tattoo is from 297 AD and has been demonstrated to be for ornamental purposes only. Tattoo designers were called the "Horis" in Japan. The Horis were acknowledged as masters and eventually created the full body suit tattoo.

Although Oriental symbols are extremely common for tattoos in America, it is not commonly recognized that both the Japanese and Chinese cultures have maintained a deep-seated resistance to the custom of tattooing throughout history. With both societal and religious viewpoints agreeing that tattooing is something which shouldn't be done, it is considered to be a way to contaminate one's body.

For the ancient Chinese, tattooing was applied as a punishment for criminal activity, putting such visible marks on someone to forever brand him as being a law breaker.

Found on males and females alike, tattoos have been discovered in every shape, dimension and color pattern conceivable. Regardless of whether they have been found to be something that was previously held sacred or they're for decoration only, the history of tattoos is still being written and they will continue to be around for a long time to come.

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