TATTOO HISTORY

TATTOO HISTORY

It’s known that the “inked ones” weren’t accepted in society times have changed, now no longer ostracized… this is a change we can believe in.Tattooing is dated back as far back as 1200 B.C;   with the latest finding being an mummy who they dubbed the “iceman,” after carbon-dating his body he has proven and is recorded to be well over 5,200 years old and to also have over 50 tattoos on his person. (Smithsonian) Each tattoo representing something different, serving a purpose and an permanent status adornment. Its is believed that some of the tattoos done were to ward off arthritis so they were put places such as wrist ankle joints and lower backs. It is also said that “these permanent designs— sometimes plain, sometimes elaborate, always personal— have served as amulets, status symbols, declarations of love, signs of religious beliefs, adornments and even forms of punishment“ (Smithsonian.) In ancient times they would tattoo children as young as five and six, also in Polynesia girls had to have their right hands tattooed There have also been finds of   a plethora of female mummies found wearing adornments to their skin many with multiple dotted tattoos over their stomachs to “protect “ the child they were soon to have. Although tattooing   seems to be more of a unisex thing now because you just as many women as men getting tattoos back in ancient Egyptian times it was mainly the women who were tattooed.

The instruments used in ancient Egypt then to tattoo were very crude, usually a sharp point set in a wooden handle, and that was dated to 3000 B.C.(Smithsonian.) Then they used things such as ashes of cremated loved ones as a way of remembrance as well as regular ashes, soot, and milk from pregnant women; to get the color they’d just rub it into the open wounds and let them heal I guess you can say that way. In some Polynesian countries they used a different instrument one that was something like a comb with various needles inserted in...