Page 3: Tattooing in Different Cultures

Tattooing in Different Cultures
 

Tattooing has been a common practice in many cultures around the World. Tattooing, as we know it, can be documented back as far as 3300 BC. The iceman is the oldest body in existence, and is covered in over 57 tattoos. Also, a large number of mummies found around the globe. This was apparently a common practice in the ancient world, and still holds a powerful and critical place in today’s cultures.

There are many cultures that use tattoos to mark social, marital, religious or tribal, and criminal status. The Greeks, Romans, and Japanese would often tattoo people who broke the law, slaves and “undesirable” people in society.

The Random History page said:

“The Greeks learned tattooing from the Persians who, as Herodotus informs us, would tattoo slaves, prisoners of war, and even Hellespont with the name or mark of Xerxes…The practice of tattooing “undesirables” is still practiced in parts of the modern world. For example, the Nazi’s would tattoo Jews and others with identifying numbers, and today prisoners in Europe, Russia, and America continue to tattoo themselves (Gustafson 2000).

In Japan tattoos hold significant cultural roots and identified social status. Ancient Japanese clay figures had tattooed faces, and probably represented living individuals who would take the journey to the next life with them. The full body tattoo was discouraged by the Japanese because they said for it to be marks of prostitutes and entertainers.

After centuries of decline and negative association, Captain James Cook, brought to England his own “native” named Omai who was tattooed. Natives were not much higher on the social latter than savages, but after Cook brought her around the English upper class began getting tattoos. The Prince of Wales even revealed his tattoo of a Jerusalem cross.

The Random History website also states:

“Even while tattooing was declining in popularity, Samuel O’Riley invented the electric tattoo machine in 1891 and opened a shop in Chatham Square in New York City. His invention made it easier, less painful, and cheaper to get a tattoo. The machine created strong black lines, heavy black shading, and a dab of color, creating the American classic style of tattooing. Between the two world wars, the hub of tattooing moved from Chatham Square to Coney Island, and both the tattoo machine and the rise in patriotism contributed to a surge in the tattoo’s popularity. Tattoo flash became very patriotic and included such imagery as eagles, American slogans, and “girlie” tattoos. These classic tattoos were very literal, universal, and easy to read, though they were more like badges arranged on the body with no obvious relationship between them.”

Tattoos are accepted more today than ever before. Influenced by various cultures, there are many choices of styles and images. Some tattoo artists even argue that they have become too fashionable and have little thought put into getting them. However, tattoos have survived, and linked us to our history.

Works Cited

Atkinson, Michael, Margo DeMello, John Gray, Mark Gustafson, and C.P. Jones.          Socializing Bodies." Socializing Bodies: A History of the Tattoo. Random History, 26 July           2008. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.