Tattoos have been used as cultural symbols among many tribal populations, as well as the caste-based Hindu population of India. Henna and Mehndi were popular in ancient India and ancient Egypt, and still remain popular today in the Indian subcontinent, Middle East and North Africa. Tattooing has been a part of Filipino life since pre-Hispanic colonization of the Philippine Islands, tattooing in the Philippines to some were a form of rank and accomplishments, some believed that tattoos had magical qualities. Pre-Christian Germanic, Celtic and other central and northern European tribes were often heavily tattooed, according to surviving accounts. The Picts were supposedly tattooed (or scarified) with elaborate dark blue woad (or possibly copper for the blue tone) designs, though only Julius Caesar described these tattoos in Book V of his Gallic Wars (54 BCE).
History of Tattoos and Body Piercing They come in all shapes and sizes ranging from the delicate to the outrageous! Why do people in so many disparate cultures permanently ink their skin with symbols and unique designs? What is the allure of tattoos and body piercing? Tattoos and body piercing date back in history more than 5,000 years. They most likely began as cultural rituals.
She establishes early in the piece that tattoos have quite a significant history, dating right back to when the Greeks first used tattoos to mark prisoners. These statements make us believe that Day has done her research in the topic, therefore take her opinion as truth. They also encourage the reader to consider the great power a simple piece of unwanted body art once had; from unwanted branding, to desired fashion statement. Through the use of repetition Day establishes how the origin of tattoos contrast to tattoos of the present day. Through the use of words such as "defiance" and "trouble" she links back to the middle ages in Europe where prisoners were just that.
The Samoan, Maori, Borneo, African, North American Aboriginal cultures are just a few that have used the tattoo as a way to tell a story of Transition into maturity. Before there was writing with words to identify a person, we used pictures. Many of the cultures used the tattoo to tell the status of an individual in society. The Maori of New Zealand used Tattooing starting at puberty, accompanied by many rites and rituals. In addition to making a warrior attractive to women, the tattoo practice marked both rites of passage and important events in a person's life.
Forms of genital piercing Genital piercings are carried out on both male and female genitals. There exist variations on the types of piercings that are carried out in both of the sexes. Male genital piercing Prince Albert piercing It borrows its name from Prince Albert who had his penis pierced prior to marrying Beau Brummell who at the time had a craze for men’s trousers that were extra tight. in order to have the penis held on to one side of the trouser so as not to create a bulge, the penis had to be pierced
Some people believe that body piecing is a form of bodily modification that is fairly new to this world, but research shows, that it is a ancient form of art with meaning and reasoning beyond what is known today. Different cultures have used body piercings in many different ways throughout history. This essay will show that different cultures have used body piercing in many different forms, for example there are the Romans, the Egyptians, and the Aztec and Mayan civilizations. Research will help to clarify some of the more distinct ways each of these civilizations used body modification and the different uses for them. According to this website, www.rankmytattoos.com (2003-2007), “The Romans used body piercings only with a purpose.” Men would pierce their nipples to symbolize power and strength.
The ancient Egyptians believed that it was important to record and communicate information about the religion and government. Therefore, they invented written scripts that could be use to hold and record this information. The most famous Egyptian script was hieroglyphic, however throughout the three thousand years of history, at least three other scripts were used for different objectives. The scripts were tools for scribes, so that they were able to preserve the beliefs, history, and ideas of ancient Egypt on papyrus scrolls. One of the most unique traits of the Egyptians was their architectural innovation for building pyramids.
There is an art form that many of us know about today, we see it everywhere, and on many different walks of life. People get this art for many different reasons; some people display their artwork proudly while others chose to keep theirs in places where only they may ever see. Many people have them, maybe even you have one. Tattoos are a way to express yourself, to let others know about you and who you are. This form of artwork has survived for thousands of years, and over those years tools used to make this artwork have evolved.
The Greek used pottery to also pass messages. They wrote on the hardened clay and the message was passed down. They would sometimes use the same pot for days writing messages back and forth. A large number of the scenes painted on the pottery illustrate the myths and legends of the ancient Greeks. Because of pottery’s durability, it comprises a large part of the archaeological record of the Ancient Greece, and since there is so much of it, it has exerted a large influence on the understanding of Greek society.
They have been used for various reasons. As time changed, so did the use of tattoos. In today’s world, most people get tattoos for fun, and some get them for other purposes or beliefs. Throughout history tattooing has served many purposes. Tattooing has been around since the earliest civilizations.