Tattoo History

A tattoo is the permanent marking in the skin made by punctures and inserting pigments in it to create patterns. Tattooing has been practiced in many cultures but its meaning to each culture varies. It can be a form of communication, decoration, a person’s rank within the group or as a symbol of social status.

This indigenous Taiwanese tribeswoman has the symbol of maturity tattooed on her face. A custom for men and women.

Tattoo history dates back to ancient times and the discovery of a well preserved mummified human body, which dated the man from around 3000 - 4000 BC, found that he had a number of tattoos on the lower part of his spine, behind one knee and on his ankle.

In the Pacific regions tattooing on both the men and women was a tribal custom which was passed down from generations before. However it was the sailors from the 1700s that introduced the art into Europe after they themselves received tattoos as souvenirs of their visit to the South Pacific. This link between sailors and tattoos continued for a long time especially in the US. In the 1980s the tribal style of tattooing was published in magazines which became very popular and was seen as a welcome change to the traditional, sailor styled tattoos.