ANCIENT

TATTOO
In the last 25 years the popularity
of tattoos has exploded
worldwide. Was it once an oddity
to see a tattoo on the human
skin, today it is almost a rarity to
see unmarked skin. But the
ancient art of body inking
actually has been around for
quite a long time.
 Embellishing the skin with permanent
tattoos is an ancient practice which can
be traced back thousands of years and to
many different cultures of the ancient
world. Historically humans all over the
world have been adorning their skin for a
variety of reasons; to mark their social
status, in religious rites, to beautify, for
protection, to give oneself magical
powers, to heal illnesses or to relieve
pain. 
The name tattoo derives from the Samoan
word Tatau, which means to strike in.
HISTORY
The oldest tattoo has been found on
the European Iceman Mummy ” Oetzi”
from the bronze age. The tattooed
man, roughly 5,500 years old, was
found 25 years ago in the Tyrolean
Alps. The Iceman is the oldest known
human to have medicinal tattoos
preserved upon his mummified skin.
On the remains of a Siberian princess
named Ukok, found in the ice 19 years
ago in the Altai mountains in Siberia,
intricate tattoo patterns have been
found as well. In her case the tattoos
marked her status in life, which was
confirmed by the objects, animals and
warriors who were buried next to her
as well, to safeguard and ease her
journey into the afterlife.
Tattoos on wrist and fingers found on the
mummified body of Siberian princess Ukok.
The Practice

Tattoos found on mummified remains showed evidence of

soot or ash from burnt plant material to create the markings
and. This black ash would be rubbed into the punctures or
patterns created with needles made from animal bones. In
ancient Asia the tattoos were needled with bamboo sticks.
Protection Tattoos
The Nubians who lived
south of Egypt only used
tattoos on females and in
ancient Egypt the
markings of dotted
patterns around the
abdomen were also
exclusively found on
women. It is believed that
these tattoos functioned as
a talisman to safeguard
women during pregnancy
and childbirth.
Protection Tattoos
In India the dot
on the forehead
resembling a
black mole was
tattooed to
ward of the evil
eye.
STATUS TATTOOS IN THE WORLD
 Among Greeks and Romans the use of
tattoos, or stigmata marks as they were
called, showed that someone belonged too
a religious sect. Additionally  they were used
to mark slaves and criminals, the latter
obviously not a very desirable version to
have.
 The ancient Scythians and Thracians on the
other hand used the body art as a testimony
of high birth, to show off their nobility.
 In Japan the Samurai picked up the art
of inking after being forced to disband their
original function as warriors. Being stripped
of their armor, the Samurai adopted the
tattoo as a means of replacing the armor.
 In ancient China the tattoo, or Wen Shen was
considered a barbaric practice and certainly
not a beautifying element. They are
mentioned in ancient Chinese literature when
speaking of bandits and criminals. It was
apparently common practice to tattoo the
word prisoner on convicted criminals’ faces.
 In Papua New Guinea girls
received their first tattoo at age 5.
Then each year they were
embellished with new body arts.
At age 21 the young women
would get a large V-shaped tattoo
across their chest to mark them
eligible for marriage.
Maori Tattoos
 The indigenous people of New Zealand,
The Maori tribe, consider the face as the
most important body part. The facial
tattoos, or moko as they are called, are
marks of high status. Each tattoo was
and is unique and individually designed.
The facial tattoo of men conveys specific
information about status, rank, ancestry
and ability, thus it could be considered a
person’s passport of some kind.
The Maoris receive their tattoos at different stages of life, as a rite of
passage or to make men look more desirable and attractive to the
opposite sex. Maori women on the other hand only have tattoos
around the nose and lips for beautifying purposes. And for cosmetic
reasons apparently as Maori women claim it prevents the skin from
wrinkling helping them to stay looking young.
Healing Tattoos
 Many believe that acupuncture actually
finds it roots in the practice of tattooing.
On a Peruvian mummy that was over
2500 years old, scientist found intricate
circle patterns around the neck and back
at locations where according to TCM
(traditional Chinese Medicine) many
important needle points for relieving
pain are located as well.
Modern Day Tattoos
 So tattoos have been around for many
millennia and by the look of it, will be
staying for many more to come. Be it as a
mark of individuality as is nowadays often
the case in western society, as a branding
that you belong to a specific group or to
commemorate a special occasion or event.
Receiving a tattoo is a near spiritual ritual
that requires the endurance of physical
pain in exchange for a mark of beauty.