Tattoos - The Early History

There are many people who appreciate the art and symbolism of tattoos, but many people don't know where they came from. The early history of these forms of body art is rather interesting. It can give you an idea of just how far this art progressed. Early uses were mainly for the purpose of showing whether men and women within tribes were marriage material. There were also many tribes that used symbols to ward off evil and illness, as well as identifying specific tribal ranks.

It is believed that tattoos date as far back as 12,000 B.C. Many scholars believe that word "tattoo" originated from the Tahitian word "tatu." This word means "marking" of something.

Throughout history, you can find many references to this type of art. It has been called inking, body art, markings, and various other terms. You can also notice that throughout time, changes occurred from different cultural exposures and technological advances that influence the tattoo process.

Egypt is one of the earliest documented references to tattoos. During the time when the pyramids were being built, Egyptian pharaohs often tattooed - or "marked" - their servants. The process was not unlike cattle branding, and was quite painful. As Egyptian empires began to expand, the art of tattooing, which was not yet considered an art, also expanded.

Tattoos soon became popular among many civilizations like Arabia, Persia, and Greece. It was during this time that it started developing into more of an art form. These early civilizations were known for their extravagant artistic touches, which slowly began to show in the tattoo art.

The Greeks were known to use tattooing as a way to tell their spies apart from the other group's people where the spies were infiltrated, and also to show a particular rank. On the other hand, the Romans used tattoo marks to identify slaves and criminals. It wasn't long before tattooing spread again.

Around 2000 B.C. tattoos became popular in China and Asia. During this time, they were once again used for labeling. Married women and girls reaching womanhood were tattooed as a reflection of skill and social standing.

The people of western Asia, particularly the Ainu, were believed to have introduced tattoos to the Japanese people. The Japanese were the ones who used tattooing for ceremonial activities and religious designations. Additionally, there is evidence that suggests that the Alaskans, Mayans, Aztecs, and Incans developed their tattooing from Ainu influence.

In America, the first American styled tattoos appeared in New York City. In a place named Chatham Square, a tattooist named Samuel O'Reilly appeared and opened a tattoo shop. He became famous for using his own invention - the electric tattoo machine. Charlie Wagner was hired as O'Reilly's apprentice, and he went on to open a supply business when O'Reilly died in 1908. Lew Alberts, a wallpaper designer, became Wagner's partner. Wagner was responsible for changing tattoo designs using his designing skills.

After a redesigning of tattoo art, a surge in its popularity occurred. In previous years, the elite members of New York society turned away the idea. By the end of the 1960s, however, the popularity of tattoos surged nearly the same levels as today.