The Evolution of The Reason Behind Tattoos

First Evidence of Tattoos

3183 BCE

The earliest known tattoos on the actual body were found on an Iceman located on the Italian-Austrian border in 1991. The Iceman was dated at around 5200 years old. The tattoos he had on his body were located around certain joints which meant that the tattoos were most likely for healing joint pain.

Ancient Egyptian Tattoos

2000 BCE

Before the discovery of the Iceman, tattoos were believed to have first started in the times of Ancient Egypt. Several female mummies were found with tattoos located on their right hands. There are different theories on what the meaning of these tattoos were. A few meanings behind these tattoos could be showing royal status, protection from disease, and therapeutic help when pregnant or giving birth.

African Scarification

500 BCE

This ancient form of tattooing is the cutting of skin and burning it to create bumps and pattern in the skin. Unlike common day tattoos, these are permanent and can not be removed. The scarification can show things like a person's rank in society and which family, clan, and tribe they belong to. These tattoos were given to people around the age of 16 or 17 as a rite of passage into adulthood.

Tribal Tattoos

500 BCE

Tribes used tattoos for spiritual meanings instead of artistic meanings. The pain, permanence, and loss of blood were three factors about getting a tattoo that made it spiritual rather than artistic. These tattoos allowed people of tribes to create a relationship with their gods, or enter a trance or vision state. Tribes also used a form of scarification and body paints to create tattoos.

Greek and Roman Tattoos

400 BCE

In early Greek and Roman times tattoos were only given to barbarians. Later on, Greeks decided to use tattooing to mark slaves and criminals so they could be identified if they tried to escape. The Romans adopted the practice from the Greeks but, in addition to slaves and criminals, they tattooed everyone in their army so they could easily identify deserters. The Greek and Roman culture turned tattooing into a punishment.

First Nations Tattoos

500

First Nations used tattoos as religious, therapeutic and magical practices. They also used them as a symbolic rite of passage at puberty ceremonies. They needed to have a high pain tolerance and a lot of courage to get tattoos because of how painful it was. These tattoos would be present in the physical and spiritual world meaning they would help a person's body and spirit.

England Gets Tattoos

1700

This is a key point in time where tattoos started to lose the spiritual meanings behind them. The British Navy started a tradition of getting tattoos because many seamen returned home with exotic tattoos and designs. Sailors picked up on the art and became tattoo artists. They drifted away from the tribal style of tattoo and instead used more symbols.

Tattoos and The Circus

1800

The circus helped to create the tattoos popularity in the 19th century. Circuses showcased people with bodies covered completely in tattoos. Rival circuses competed with each other for the services of the most elaborately tattooed show people. The circus used these people with tattoos as shows and gave them the status of freaks.

The First Tattoo Television Show

2005

Tattoos remained a rare thing to see on a person's body up until around 2005. The first tattoo television show called "Miami Ink" showcased tattoo artists and the artistic designs they created. This was a big advertisement for tattoos because people from all over the world were able to see average everyday people get artistic designs put onto their body. People began to realize how impressive and easy to attain tattoos were.

Present Day Tattoos

2017

Presently, tattoos are seen as an accessory. They are seen as a way to make people stand out and show off beliefs or achievements. Symbols like crosses, guns, and money can be seen on arms, backs, and even faces of people of most ages. Meanings behind these tattoos have become more personal. Names, slogans, initials, numbers and several different symbols are used to represent where people have come from, their beliefs, and their family.