Tattooing

I want to begin to explore the history of tattooing and it's significance of the practice to my current project, after all tattoos are something that are always associated with tribes and people from a 'Wild Kingdom'.

Interestingly, tattoos do not originate from one place in particular, instead developing independently and gradually across the globe. There has been evidence of tattoos on female Egyptian mummies dating between as far as 2160 to 1994 BCE. This particular image is the hand of an ancient priestess who was buried in the same pyramid as Pharaoh Mentuhotep of the 11th Dynasty. According to findings it was only ever really women who were found tattooed in this way, women who had some sort of religious significance.

Otzi's tattoos found alongside his spine.

Another early example (even earlier than the Ancient Egyptians  can be found in Otzi the Iceman, a mummified body dating from roughly 3300 BCE. He was found in the Otz Alps in Italy, and upon inspection it was discovered that his body had roughly 57 carbon tattoos.

What I find particularly interesting about Otzi's tattoos is that unlike most examples of tattoos that have been found amongst tribes or ancient civilizations, his didn't appear to relate to his rank or social status. Neither did they appear to be for decoration. Instead, the positions of the tattoos on the mummified body seemed correlated with common areas used for acupuncture today. This suggests that tattoos have been used medicinally as well as just for show.

Since these very early examples, tattoos have appeared all over the world to represent a number of different meanings; ranking, bravery, sexual lures, fertility, beauty, political statements and negatives marks also, often to show up social outcasts or victims of slavery. I find tattoos such as these, tattoos with real purpose and meaning behind them completely fascinating. Whilst living in a culture today where so many people commit to inking their skin without really thinking about it first, it's astonishing to think of other people in the world who rely upon these marks as a visual definition of who they are. Below are some example of tattoos like these:

Tear-drop tattoos famously signify the wearer having killed somebody or their loss of a loved one or fellow gang member, in which case the tear-drop is sometimes left without being filled in. It is completely coloured once the death of the loved one has been revenged.

Notorious motorcycle gang Hells Angels are often identified by their gang tattoos, such as the letters AFFA  (Angel Forever, Forever Angel) often found on the knuckles or belly of the wearer.

Fulani girls have their bottom lip tattooed when they start puberty. It is a mark of beauty.

Completed around the age of 17, the mouth tattoo would signify that the Ainu woman was ready for marriage, whereas for a male, it would be the growth of his beard. The last known woman to have these markings died in 1998.

And if that wasn't enough I have stumbled across this little beauty, maybe not one for the squeamish: 

Dead Prisoner's Tattoos

To see my own work representing tattoos check out my posts, Re-Creating Tattoos and RODARTE

References:
http://www.xtimeline.com/evt/view.aspx?id=53878
http://thefutureisyesterday.tumblr.com/
http://d21c.com/zenegata/ainu18.html
http://bajanbeautyblogger.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/what-to-wear-to-a-meeting-with-creative-people/
http://motorcyclemaniac.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/hells-angelsthe-story-is-the-same-all-over-the-world/