The history of tattoos -- a centuries-old fine art tradition
February 2, 2006
By: Alice Osborn
Since the origin of civilization, there has been a history of
tattoos signified by savagery, primitivism, ritual and individualism
across an extensive historical timeline that dates back to 12,000
years B.C. In ancient tattoo history, these body markings let others
know of the tattoo wearer's class, marital status, skill set, and
family. Sometimes an animal tattoo, such as an eagle or tiger, would
signify that the tattooed individual would share those same skills
and strengths as the tattooed animal on his body. The reasons that
people get tattoos in modern times vary, but most individuals choose
to be tattooed because of reaching a milestone, for cosmetic
reasons, for a group ritual, or because they want to select creative
tattoo markings that truly personify them.
Ancient origins of the tattoo: from the Egyptians to the
Japanese
Tattooing was prevalent in Egypt during the time of the great
pyramids and after the Egyptians, tattooing spread as an art form to
Greece, Arabia, China, and later to Polynesia and South America. In
Polynesia, the Maoris tattooed their faces with markings called a
Moko to show rank and bravery, and in the Mayan, Aztec, and Inca
cultures, tattoos played an important role in their religious
rituals.
The breadth of the history of the tattoo also reveals that
tattoos were popular among the Celts, Danes, and Gauls for
displaying family crests before Pope Hadrian's edict in 787 A.D.,
which banned the practice of tattooing. He referred to the Old
Testament passage in Leviticus 19:28, "Do not cut your bodies for
the dead nor put marks upon you." Despite this edict, tattooing was
still popular in Britain until the Norman Invasion in 1066. From
this point on in Western European history, tattooing took on the
aura of a secretive and primitive art form that subverted proper
Christian beliefs. The art of tattooing would not be reintroduced to
Europe until the maritime exploration of the Pacific islands at the
end of the seventeenth century.
On the other side of the world, the art of Japanese tattooing was
flourishing in the 1700s, although tattooing in Japan can be traced
as far back as 300 B.C. The ancient Ainu people of western Asia had
brought over the art of facial tattooing to Japan where it first was
used to mark criminals, and then later tattooing acquired religious,
ceremonial, and social meanings. Since there existed in Japan strict
class codes that dictated dress and ornamentation, many members of
the middle class chose to decorate the body with tattoos, so that
they too could be elaborately "dressed". However, according to the
social laws of the time, these tattooed individuals had to cover
their tattoos with clothing.
The Polynesians and the popularity of the tattoo across Europe
The modern Western world was first introduced to the art of
tattooing when French sailor and explorer William Dampier brought
the heavily tattooed Prince Jeoly to London. Once in London, he was
christened the Painted Prince and the tattoos all over his body were
exhibited to the public before he died of small pox.
Captain James Cook's crews later sported tribal tattoos (suns,
moons, lines, as well as human and animal markings) in Europe after
his historical late eighteenth century voyages to the South Seas
islands where he and his men encountered a wealth of tattoo body
art. Polynesian tattooing had been in existence since the second
millennium B.C., although Cook was the first Westerner to describe
the art of tattooing using the Tahitian word, tatau, which
means "to make a mark". Another Polynesian man, the Great Omai, was
placed on display in London and after viewing his many tattoos, the
upper classes soon demanded their own tattoos, which were always
etched where the markings could be concealed by clothing.
Since tattooing during most of the nineteenth century was all
done by hand, it was a slow and expensive process, which made the
exclusive practice of tattooing popular with the upper classes. In
fact, it was a popular practice for the elite to gather in their
drawing rooms and show others their tattoos, which would normally be
hidden by their clothes. This tattoo trend changed with the
invention of a prototype electric tattoo machine in London. Soon the
lower and middle classes embraced tattooing, while the upper classes
rejected tattoo body art.
In 1891, American Samuel O'Reilly patented the electric tattooing
machine from the one invented in London earlier that year. He based
it on the perforated pen invented by Thomas Edison, thus ushering
the practice of tattooing into American popular culture.
The rise of tattooed people in circuses
During the middle to late part of the nineteenth century, most
ordinary Americans encountered tattooed people at circus and
carnival sideshows. In 1873, P.T. Barnum introduced Prince
Constantine with his 388 tattoos to his audience, and his success
encouraged other tattooed people to join the circus. Some of these
tattooed people became tattoo artists and sometimes charged fifty
cents to a dollar for a single tattoo.
For the first time in history, women displayed their multiple
tattoos for a paying audience and attracted the public with tales on
how they acquired their tattoos. Betty Broadbent was one of these
tattooed women who used her 365 tattoos to gain fame with Ringling
Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus in the 1930s. She had a
respectable tattoo sideshow act since her tattoos were mostly
flowers and birds, and her bathing suit never went shorter than
mid-thigh.
The Golden Age of Tattooing through the Tattoo Renaissance
In the early part of the twentieth century, tattoos were readily
available, and individuals requesting a tattoo could find a
tattooist in the working class area of town next to barbershops or
on the carnival midway. However, most tattooists worked in port
towns, which were frequented by sailors. The tattoo artist would
have his customer select flash, or tattoo designs from the wall,
which would include patriotic themes, knives, skulls, hula dancers
and pin-up girls. In fact, the word "Mom" was the second most
popular word tattoo with sailors, and first was their girlfriend's
name etched onto their bodies.
The period of time between the two world wars was called the
Golden Age of Tattooing where tattooing saw a high level of social
approval because of patriotism and soldier support. In fact, if a
man had tattoos, others assumed he was in the military and serving
his country. US servicemen had their biceps, chest, calves, back,
and forearms tattooed, while tattoo markings were prohibited on
their faces and hands.
After World War II, tattooing became associated with the
underbelly of society, such as juvenile delinquents and bikers, and
many tattoo parlors were closed down because of fears of hepatitis
outbreaks and unsterilized needles. However in the late 1960s, there
was a tattoo renaissance thanks to the anti-war, hippie, Civil
Rights, gay and feminist movements. These traditionally marginalized
groups found tattoo art that represented their individual styles,
and overturned the popularity of the traditional masculine tattoo
flash art. This new generation of tattoos included butterflies, yin
and yang symbols, flowers, astrological signs, and dolphins.
Working out of San Francisco, tattoo artist Lyle Tuttle attracted
celebrities and hippies to his tattoo shop, and helped give tattoos
a much more socially acceptable reputation than ever before. His
tattoo artistry was advertised all over the media, and he also
assisted the Department of Communicable Diseases to write new health
regulations for tattooing. With the professionalization of
tattooing, the centuries-old fine art tradition has found new
customers flocking to tattooists.
Today's tattoos and the tattoo community
Now in the twenty-first century, getting a tattoo is a popular
choice for both the old and young. A recent study estimates one in
seven or over 39 million people in the U.S. and Canada have at least
one tattoo. The gay population sports the most tattoos (31%), as do
young Americans ages 25 to 29 years (36%) and 30 to 39 years (28%).
Geographically, people living in the West (20%) have more tattoos
than people living anywhere else in the country.
Historically, tattoos have been part of the counterculture
movement and held appeal for those seeking their own brand of
individualism, but only in the latter part of twentieth century have
tattoos become socially acceptable by the middle class. Today,
tattoos are more ubiquitous than ever and these markings give tattoo
wearers the opportunity to say something unique with their bodies.
However, most individuals' tattoos are small markings that can be
concealed by their work attire, if necessary. For the most part, a
facial tattoo or other large tattoo art on an exposed part of the
body is still not acceptable by most Americans. Tattooed people who
do have extensive body art have often joined the tattoo community,
where they can participate in tattoo conventions and discuss tattoo
issues in numerous tattoo publications. In this diverse and
accepting environment, tattooed people can feel free to display
their tattoos with others.
About the Author:
Alice Osborn is a successful freelance writer and contributor to
Body-Jewelry-USeek.com.
Your definitive guide to body jewelry, piercing and tattooing information to perfectly adorn your body.
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