Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Were did tattoos originate ?




Kahnisha


Tattooing


Answer
Tattooing has been a practice of almost every known people. The Ainu, the indigenous people of Japan, wore unique facial tattoos. Tattooing was widespread among Polynesian peoples, and in the Philippines, Borneo, Samoa, Africa, Japan, and China.

Tattooing has been a Eurasian practice since Neolithic times. "Ãtzi the Iceman", dated circa 3300 BC was tattooed, as was the mummified male found in the Pasaryk burial whose body was tattooed with stylized animal designs. In the Steppes, other natural mummies up to 7000 years old have been found to have tattoos.

Europeans rediscovered tattooing during the exploration of the South Pacific under Captain James Cook in the 1770s, and sailors were particularly identified with tattoos in European culture until after World War I.

Tattoos have always had an important role in ritual and tradition. In Borneo, women tattooed symbols on their forearm indicating their particular skill. If a woman wore a symbol indicating she was a skilled weaver, her status as prime marriageable material was increased. Tattoos around the wrist and fingers were believed to ward away illness. Throughout history tattoos have signified membership in a clan or society. Even today groups like the Hells Angels tattoo their particular group symbol. TV and movies have used the idea of a tattoo indication membership in a secret society numerous times. It has been believed that the wearer of an image calls the spirit of that image. The ferocity of a tiger would belong to the tattooed person. That tradition holds true today shown by the proliferation of images of tigers, snakes, and bird of prey.

In recorded history, the earliest tattoos can be found in Egypt during the time of the construction of the great pyramids (It undoubtedly started much earlier). When the Egyptians expanded their empire, the art of tattooing spread as well. The civilizations of Crete, Greece, Persia, and Arabia picked up and expanded the art form. Around 2000 BC tattooing spread to China.

The Greeks used tattooing for communication among spies. Markings identified the spies and showed their rank. Romans marked criminals and slaves. This practice is still carried on today. The Ainu people of western Asia used tattooing to show social status. Girls coming of age were marked to announce their place in society, as were the married women. The Ainu are noted for introducing tattoos to Japan where it developed into a religious and ceremonial rite. In Borneo, women were the tattooists. It was a cultural tradition. They produced designs indicating the owners station in life and the tribe he belonged to. Kayan women had delicate arm tattoos which looked like lacy gloves. Dayak warriors who had "taken a head" had tattoos on their hands. The tattoos garnered respect and assured the owners status for life. Polynesians developed tattoos to mark tribal communities, families, and rank. They brought their art to New Zealand and developed a facial style of tattooing called Moko which is still being used today. There is evidence that the Mayan, Incas, and Aztecs used tattooing in the rituals. Even the isolated tribes in Alaska practiced tattooing, their style indicating it was learned from the Ainu.

In the west, early Britons used tattoos in ceremonies. The Danes, Norse, and Saxons tattooed family crests (a tradition still practiced today). In 787 AD, Pope Hadrian banned tattooing. It still thrived in Britain until the Norman Invasion of 1066. The Normans disdained tattooing. It disappeared from Western culture from the 12th to the 16th centuries.

While tattooing diminished in the west, it thrived in Japan. At first, tattoos were used to mark criminals. First offenses were marked with a line across the forehead. A second crime was marked by adding an arch. A third offense was marked by another line. Together these marks formed the Japanese character for "dog". It appears this was the original "Three strikes, you're out" law. In time, the Japanese escalated the tattoo to an aesthetic art form. The Japanese body suit originated around 1700 as a reaction to strict laws concerning conspicuous consumption. Only royalty were allowed to wear ornate clothing. As a result of this, the middle class adorned themselves with elaborate full body tattoos. A highly tattooed person wearing only a loin cloth was considered well dressed, but only in the privacy of their own home.

William Dampier is responsible for re-introducing tattooing to the west. He was a sailor and explorer who traveled the South Seas. In 1691 he brought to London a heavily tattooed Polynesian named Prince Giolo, Known as the Painted Prince.

She wants to put the tattoo on her hand!?




AppleDumpl


I need to talk my best girl friend out of this! She wants to put a tattoo on the top of her hand, a bird of some kind. It's pretty, but I am sure she will regret it! What can I say to discourage her?


Answer
Well, if she is trying to fit a bird tattoo on her hand with even a semblance of detail, she is going to realize find that tattoos on the hands and feet or face age differently than other areas. Your hands and feet get more use and wear and tear than any other area of your body. Your hands come in contact with so many things on a daily basis, some things corrosive or abrasive even and the sun exposure, that's a given. Explain to your friend that a woman that used to tattoo others(that would be me) told you that skin on the hands and feet sloughs off and loses elasticity and appears to almost stretch over time more quickly than other areas and in very little time, she will notice blurred lines and an overall spreading appearance of her tattoo, not to mention an very definite fade. She must already know that this tattoo placement will affect how people look at her, and that doesn't bother her, good for her, but she needs to be thinking of the overall picture rather than showing how secure she is with herself. I'd recommend an entire sleeve before I'd recommend a hand tattoo, face or foot tattoo. Sleeves can be covered up and cared for better than hand tattoos. I care for each and every one of mine and have yet to experience any fade or weathering of any kind.
But she sounds like the type of person who isn't to be discouraged. If I were you and explaining all of this to your friend doesn't work, I would find all the coolest tattoo pics on the web you can find in OTHER places, perhaps mayne on celebrities or musicians...or maybe someone she admires, or even just random bird tattoos and make suggestions on other areas. If that still doesn't work then get some online pics of faded, worn and aged tattoos on hands and a couple articles(there are many)about why it's a mistake to tattoo your hands, fingers and face.




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