Tattoo History
Tattoo history goes back a long time. Way back. Back before Sid Vicious and the Sex Pistols brought punk rock to the forefront of culture. Back before they had needles and any concept of bacteria. Yes, we're talking a long time ago – but fortunately not from a galaxy far, far away (although hey, who knows?)
Tattoo origins are hard to pinpoint. Ancient historical records suggest that tattoo history started as early as the Pharaohs. That's right, the same dudes who invented mummies and built the pyramids were also engaged in ancient body art. At least some Egyptian wall paintings seem to suggest this was so.
What's certainly indisputable – and a boon to tattoo history buffs - is the incredible find in 1991 of a frozen corpse found on a mountain between Austria and Italy. Not only was the body 5000 years old and still intact, but it also had a series of tattoos over it – one of the oldest samples of body art. Experts believe the man had them done mainly for medicinal reasons (he had linear tattoos around his kidney area and above his ankles). However, he also had a cross tattoo on the inside of his left knee which, although perhaps not the best place to sport a trendy design, does suggest a certain hipness to this lone hunter.
And we all thought Neanderthals were a bunch of, uh, Neanderthals.
The point is, tattoo history is much older than your tattooed ex-hippie baby boomer dad. Early tattoos were created with crude instruments and rudimentary pigments (this wasn't the world of Technicolor yet) and applied as either signs of allegiance to a religion or as part of some tribal custom designed to mark maturity or adulthood.
The truth is, there are many reasons people had tattoos – all of them diverse and valid. Modern tattooing is simply an update of the practice. And although throughout tattoo history the motivations for getting a tattoo have changed, some of them remain the same.
Tattooing Today in California
It wasn't always easy to get a tattoo. Either you had to be a criminal, drunk, or sailor (or a criminally drunk sailor), to get one and even then it didn't sit well with most people. Modern tattoo history got off to a shaky start.
Things began to change in the last half of the 20 th century as tattooing became more in vogue. Tattoo history took a turn for the better as people became more and more open to body art. The art form particularly flourished in the 70s, especially when rock music took on new heights and bands like The Who, Pink Floyd, and The Sex Pistols ruled the stage. Practically everyone who grew up in this period got a tattoo. Okay, maybe that's stretching the facts a bit. But look closer at your mother's lower back sometime – that “birthmark” she keeps telling you to ignore might just be the remnants of a wonderful night of Fleetwood Mac and the next door neighbor's dexterous hands.
Many people get tattoos because of the aesthetic value – they want to look cool. And why not? Tattoos offer a unique way to define oneself and also bear testimony to one's strength to endure pain; certainly something to be proud of .
Others get tattoos because it seals their place within a group – a gang perhaps. This is another form of identification, along the lines of traditional tattoos given by ancient tribes but with a modern spin.
Tattoo history is replete with people who have taken to body art, whether in the name of religion or subversiveness. It's an art form that requires immense skill from the artist and commitment from the bearer. Ideas, fashions, and cultures may change but tattooing, like all good art, will continue to evolve. And somewhere in an old people's home, a former criminally drunk sailor is boasting about his body art. Although he probably still can't explain “MOM FOREVER” and the heart logo on his buttocks.
About Tattoo California | Mission Statement | Tattoo History | Tattoo Aftercare | Tattoo Articles
Tattoo Websites and Tattoo Artists by California County |