History and Origin of Tattooing - Research Paper Example

? Tattoos Outline I. History and Origin of Tattooing A. Evidence of tattooing in ancient cultures Samoan culture 2. Japanese culture 3. Egyptian culture 4. Samoan culture B. The purpose of tattoos as illustrating a meaning C. Forensic implications of tattooing D. The use and significance of tattooing in different cultures II. Tattooing in Samoa A. What does tattooing in Samoa depict? 1. Its meaning and significance 2. Cultural implications of tattooing B. Its use among the various tribes C. Rituals associated with tattooing ceremonies III. Tattooing in Ancient Egypt A. What does tattooing in ancient Egypt depict? 1. Its use among different people according to age, status, etc a. Its meaning and significance b. Social and cultural implications of tattooing IV. Tattooing in Japan A. What does tattooing in Japan depict? 1. Its use among a particular group a. The meaning or theme that tattoos express b. Social implications of tattooing V. Tattooing in modern times A. Various styles of tattooing B. The people who get tattoos and the meaning they want to express C. The views of people who do not wear tattoos VI. Conclusion A. Prevalence of tattoos in different cultures B. Significance of tattooing today and in ancient cultures Tattoos I. History and Origin of Tattooing Tattooing has been used in different cultures throughout centuries and for this reason, it is difficult to track a single origin for tattooing. While there is enough evidence to prove that the earliest form of tattooing on bodies started in Egypt (Lineberry, 2007), its use has been prevalent in different cultures around the world. The practice of tattooing bodies has been present in China for thousands of years and it even spread via the silk route to other parts of China. In China, the use of tattoos was common among various tribes including Man, Yi & Yue (Reed, 2000) who inscribed tattoos as a way to differentiate themselves from the civilized people of China. For a long period of time, tattoos were considered by the sophisticated Chinese as a contemptible impression. The practice of tattooing also started in Japan particularly after repressive laws that restricted the wearing of traditional Japanese dresses thereby giving rise to highly colorful and ornate forms of tattoo designs that covered the body as though they were a suit (Franklin-Barbajosa, 2004). This form of tattooing in Japan then started to be used by underground gangsters and criminals who sported these colorful body suits of tattoos. Perhaps the longest tradition of wearing tattoos in the Pacific has been in the Samoan culture which dates back to thousands of years. The pe’a, which was a typical design of Samoan tattooing, used to be a symbol of social status among Samoan people. Hence people inscribed the pe’a tattoos on their bodies to demonstrate a particular class to which they belonged. The tattoos were marked at various places of the body including nose, cheeks, and forehead (Miles, 2001) and were worn by men as well as women. Various traditional styles of tattoos were used including tattoo bands and other detailed designs. The oldest evidence of tattooing was found in Egypt where the mummified bodies and other figurines showed signs of tattooing. Various tools were also found that are thought of as being the tools with which artists tattooed the bodies of people. The figurines also represent tattooed designs on their bodies demonstrating that real people were also tattooed in a similar way (Lineberry, 2007). Scars on the bodies of mummies have also shown tattoo patterns with unique designs. In particular, more evidence has been found pertaining to female tattooing in ancient Egypt than the male counterparts. The purpose of tattooing has been different for various cultures from status symbol to masking bodily imperfections (Zivkovic, Popovic & Nikolic, 2013). However, the commonality which exists among all of them is their ability to express a certain meaning be it social status, courage or identity. II. Tattooing in Samoa Samoa has been greatly influenced by Polynesian cultures and is believed to be the largest contributor of tattoo art in the Pacific. Even the word “tattoo” has Polynesian origins meaning strike or making or a mark. The earliest evidence available for Samoan tattooing is from a 3000 year old pottery which shows a face impressioned with dot like pattern of tattoos (Miles, 2001). Tattooing has been practiced in Samoa for centuries and even after the arrival of European missionaries who considered tattoos as essentially evil. The tradition of tattooing continued despite the evil notion brought by the Europeans and the natives continued to get their bodies impressioned by the broad and elaborate designs of Samoan tattooing (Miles, 2001). The tattoo pattern for Samoan men remained consistent despite slight changes from person to person. Even though it is thought that Samoan women were not tattooed, they were actually tattooed, although to a lesser extent as compared to men (Gardner, Kleiner & Mamiya, 2006). The design was different for men and relatively broader. Men’s tattoos covered a far more area as compared with that of women. In Polynesian cultures, tattoos signified more than beautified people but they were meant to demonstrate a variety of other meanings including rank and social status. People belonging to a high rank often had tattoos covering a much larger area of their bodies. Also, they were much more elaborate and dense as compared to the tattoos on common people (Gardner, Kleiner & Mamiya, 2006). Tattoos also served the purpose of identification where slaves were identified through a special tattoo marked on their foreheads. In various Polynesian cultures, tattooing depicted various meanings including defeat in war, rank, familial ancestry, pain, and so on. Many people considered tattoos to be a spiritual armor covering their bodies thereby providing them protection. People were also tattooed at special events which were marked by victory or other important events. The tattoos were made by artists and priests who were especially trained in the art of tattooing. Usually, the tattooing took place in a ceremonious ritual which had a special arrangement (Gardner, Kleiner & Mamiya, 2006). The tattoos were inscribed using simple tools made from bones of birds and pigments were introduced beneath the skin to leave a permanent mark. III. Tattooing in Ancient Egypt Egypt presents the earliest evidence of tattooing as numerous female mummified bodies showed signs of tattoos. Female mummified bodies, female figurines, and female figures on the walls of tombs indicate that women in ancient Egypt were tattooed. Bronze tools have also been found that are thought to be tattooing tools for inscribing patterns under the skin of female Egyptians. The female mummies showed patterns of fine lines and dots arranged into geometrical patterns. Since all the evidence regarding tattooing in Egypt has proven female tattooing, it is possible that only women were tattooed in Egypt and not men. Also, the female tattooing in Egypt has been linked with some ritual where tattooing of the females took place. However, its purpose is still unclear and it is possible that they inscribed as part of prayer ceremonies. Some people claim that the mummified females were actually dancers (Franklin-Barbajosa, 2004). Therefore, the tattoo might depict a meaning associated with female dancers. Images in the tattoos also represented Bes, the God of Fertility that Egyptians worshiped. Tattooing in ancient Egypt has exclusively been associated with women due to the evidence found on the bodies of female mummies only. Many male excavators dismissed the female tattooed mummies because they felt that women were of doubtful nature. Among the three mummified female bodies which had been found, one seemed to be of a very high rank. It is suggested that she belonged to a royal status and was a priestess named Amunet (Lineberry, 2007). Lineberry explains how it has been often thought that the inscribed tattoos symbolized prostitutes or even protection against sexually transmitted diseases (2007). According to Lineberry, the arrangement of the tattoos on the females’ bodies suggests that they had a therapeutic role especially during pregnancy for safe labor and birth (2007). So, the practice of tattooing in ancient Egypt has been solely restricted to women. As Lineberry suggests, they were meant to protect the women during pregnancy and labor. It is also suggested that the tattooing was performed in rituals and not by artists but older women of the community. Sharp, pointed tools were used to inscribe tattoo patterns on the abdomen and the thigh areas of females. These instruments were made out of bronze and may have been used as a set in wooden supports. IV. Tattooing in Japan The practice of tattooing in Japan has been present since Iron Age but the famous body suit tattooing became popular during the Edo period (Okazaki, 2013). This style of tattooing was started by Japanese artisans who had a linking for traditional Japanese wood block prints. Although the style of tattooing was initially started by non-criminals, its association with the criminal group, Yakuza has been quite popular. The wabori style of tattooing which was mainly inspired from traditional wood block prints has colorful and elaborate patterns. It was adopted by the Yakuza after World War II as a way of scaring away members of the public and to indicate their association with Yakuza (Okazaki, 2013). The majority of people wearing wabori style tattoos were criminals however recently the trend has changed to incorporate other people who want to get the tattoo made for its aesthetically rich designs. Most tattoo artists have noticed a decline in their underworld clients although previously almost all clients used to belong to the underworld criminal group of Yakuza. One of the reasons is the growth in the number of people who want to get the tattoos made purely for beautification. This was noticed after the immense popularity of tattoos as communicated by various rock bands and music cultures. The increase in the popularity of wabori style of tattooing has risen due to nationalistic reasons. So, the popularity of Japanese tattooing has been taken over by young Japanese individuals who get the tattoos as part of Japanese subcultures (Okazaki, 2013). The different symbols in wabori tattooing characterize a different meaning and wearers particularly choose a design to express themselves as having a particular quality. A carp symbolizes strength and a lion symbolizes courage (Franklin-Barbajosa, 2004). Such symbols were particularly chosen by wearers to depict a certain side to their personality. Because the style of tattooing was illegal and associated with Yakuza, the designs often had negative connotations referring to fights and qualities hinting to strength and steadfastness. Even though the wabori style of tattooing is being adopted by the young members of subcultures however these individuals face problems for being accepted as part of the mainstream society. Japan has a strict attitude towards tattoos and many laws inhibit people from getting their skin inked. Since the wabori tattoo artists are not found in easily accessible areas, the style is still a hidden one. One may rarely find a tattoo artist marketing his or her services in Japan. The tattoo studios are not found in streets but in hidden locations. V. Tattooing in Modern Times Tattooing has seen several cultural evolutions and has been used for centuries in different cultures to demonstrate different meanings. There are a plethora of tattooing styles and patterns that originate from different countries. Tattooing in modern times has greatly been influenced by the traditional tattooing styles of various cultures including Samoan, Chinese, Japanese, and so on. Previously the style of tattooing of a particular land was limited exclusively to that part of the geography however recent music culture and other influences has opened young individuals to explore as well as appreciate the aesthetical beauty of other countries. The American subcultures have played a vital role in introducing music loving individuals to appreciate tattooing as a form of art and expression. As a result, America has seen a rise in young people with inked skin. The tattoo culture of America has undergone various changes over the century and inspirations have been taken from other cultures and from the imaginations of the highly creative tattoo artists. The clientele for most tattoo artists include mainstream customers who want to be identified within a social group. An increasing number of women are now heading towards tattoo shops to get their skin engraved with tattoos. Tattooing is now considered as a form of art and is accepted as a respectable profession. Following the popularity spread by musicians and other individuals, tattooing has experienced a revolution in its design and form. More young people are getting tattoos for different reasons. Some want to express a certain image of themselves while others want to mark a particular event in their life. While modern tattoo designs have brought about their own designs, they do include some patterns from ancient styles of tattooing. Some stereotyped associations of tattoos in the modern world include sailors, criminals, and so on. Tattooing was famous among sailors who wore tattoos to mark their journey to different places. However, the styles used were simple and contained lesser detail as compared to highly creative forms of tattoos. These designs and motifs were limited and were drawn such that looked two dimensional. A more relevant association of tattooing was with criminals and other underground people. Although Yakuza criminals in Japan use the wabori form of tattooing as a common indication of their association with the criminal group, modern tattoo wearers use the tattoo to identify only themselves. That is why, tattoos nowadays have a rather unique association with the style of tattoos. Although not all wearers have a connection with any criminal group, popular notions relate tattoos with criminality. Gangsters and other criminals often have tattoos that help identify them to be belonging to a particular gang. Tattoos have been used for centuries, which is why today’s tattoo culture takes its inspiration from the various cultural styles of tattooing. Today tattoos can be made in styles including tribal, traditional, Celtic, Japanese, and so on (Levy, 2009). The society’s attitude has shifted greatly during the past decade. A number of rock bands have praised and celebrated tattoos and have contributed to the increasing popularity of tattoos among young music loving enthusiasts. Tattoos were extremely popular among people in the age range of 18 and 24 however its popularity has declined slightly over the years. Most tattoo artists now receive formal education at art schools therefore possess creative and artistic skills. These artists bring a more artistic quality to the tattoos they make. VI. Conclusion Despite recent popularity of tattoos in modern times, tattooing has been carried out for centuries in different cultures. Different motifs and designs are popular which have been adopted from ancient cultural tattooing patterns. Recently, the popularity of tattoos have been augmented by rock bands and other subcultures. Among the common symbols used in tattooing are anchors, hearts, roses, dragons, and even texts. The popularity of tattooing has seen variations on and off from being celebrated to being considered socially unacceptable. Today, most societies consider tattooing as a form of art and hence socially acceptable. References Gardner, H., Kleiner, F. and Mamiya, C. (2006). Gardner's Art Through The Ages. Australia: Thomson Wadsworth. Levy, J. (2009). Tattoos in modern society. New York: Rosen Publishing Group. Franklin-Barbajosa, C. (2004). Tattoo: Pigments of Imagination. National Geographic. Retrieved from: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0412/online_extra.html Lineberry, C. (2013). Tattoos: The Ancient and Mysterious History. Smithsonian Mag. Retrieved from: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/tattoo.html?c=y&page=2 Miles, P. (2001). Bodies to Dye For. Geographical, 73(10). Okazaki, M. (2013). Japanese Tattoos: From Yakuza to Artisans, Aesthetes. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from: http://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2013/11/05/japanese-tattoos-from-yakuza-to-artisans-aesthetes/ Reed, C. (2000). Early Chinese Tattoo. Philadelphia, PA.: Dept. of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Pennsylvania. Zivkovic, V., Popovic, V. and Nikolic, S. (2013). Tattooing: A Reminder of Bygone Follies. Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology, doi:10.1007/s12024-013-9493-8. Read More