A Short History Of Tattoos

Human beings havecelebrated their bodies with tattoos for a thousand years. These lasting designs-sometimes plain, frequently elaborate, continually personal-have served as amulets, status symbols, declarations of love, signs of religious beliefs, adornments and even forms of penalty. Joann Fletcher, research fellow in the department of archaeology at the University of York in Britain, describes the account of tattoos and their artistic significance to people around the world, from the acclaimed " Iceman," a 5,200- year-old frozen mummy, to today's MaoriWhat is the foremost evidence of tattoos?In terms of tattoos on exact bodies, the initial known examples were for a long time Egyptian and were present on quite a few female mummies dated to c. 2000 B.C. But following the more recent discovery of the Iceman from the area of the Italian-Austrian border in 1991 and his tattoo patterns, this date has been pushed back a further 1000 years when he was carbon-dated at around 5,200 years of age.What evidence do we have that ancient Egyptians had tattoos?There's absolutely evidence that women had tattoos on their bodies and limbs from figurines c. 4000-3500 B.C. to occasional female figures represented in tomb scenes c. 1200 B.C. and in figurine form c. 1300 B.C., all with tattoos on their thighs. Also tiny in size bronze implements identified as tattooing tools were found at the town position of Gurob in northern Egypt and dated to c. 1450 B.C. And then, of course, there are the mummies with tattoos, from the 3 women earlier mentioned and dated to c. 2000 B.C. to a few next examples of female mummies with these forms of lasting marks found in Greco-Roman burials at Akhmim.It's involved to look authentically rebellious or dangerous these days, when even well-behaved businessmen wear jewlry and ponytails and college students foreordained for quiet suburban lives have body piercings and tattoos.Tattoos, in particular, are not the rebellious brandings, the bold violations of flesh and propriety, they once were. Available in New York from virtually 1,400 licensed tattoo artists, tattoos are most likely more fitting and safer now than they've ever been - more artistic and varied, applied in a few cases by weighty, highly skilled body artists.Then again, there are tattoos, and there are tattoos. It is implausible that the ambitious professional with a single, understated, discreetly placed and wittily produced tattoo, or for that matter the teenager with her boyfriend's name and two lovebirds highly visible in the small of her back, will ever have tattoos on the face and scalp, or a full chest or back "panel" or a tattooed arm or leg.We may also say, however, that the development in the data available through TV and other aspects of the media, has brought about a new inflation for tattoos as works of art. By being solved to more types and designs, tattoos have become ordinarily seen decoration. Not only can tattoos be charming, but they may also be unbelievable, noble works of art, since those decorated by tattoos have gone through the discomfort to attain the beauty.