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One
of the most commonly asked question I get is "does getting tattooed hurt"?
Can losing weight, gaining muscle and pregnancy
result in your
tattoos losing shape?
What about getting someone's
name put on me?
What does a Tattoo
cost?
Are they hard
to take care of?
A Big or Small
Tattoo?
What design
should I choose?
Where should I
place my tattoo?
What if
I regret getting my tattoo later, what are my options?
What should I
look for or ask at the Tattoo Studio?
History
of Tattoos...
Believe
it or not, tattoos are nothing new. Although, they
may have become more commonplace in recent years our
generation is definitely not the first to bare tattoos.
In fact mummified bodies that date back to around 3000 B.C.
have been found with marks on their bones that indicate that
they had tattoos.
The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word "tattau". This
word literally means "To mark" which makes sense considering
that a tattoo involves marks on the skin.
In the 18th and 19th century Tattoos were rediscovered by
Europeans when during their explorations they came across
the Polynesians and American Indians who bore tattoos.
At this time tattoos were very uncommon in Europe and the
United States where they were amazed by the Polynesians and
Indians who were covered in tattoos.
If you are considering getting a tattoo, you probably have
your own reasons for wanting one. You might think of it as
a sign of independence or a work of art. Whatever your
reason, it is your personal choice but that wasn't always
the case...
While the first tattoos may have been purely decorative in
nature this wasn't always the case. Early Romans practiced
tattooing as a type of classification system. Slaves and
criminals in particular were tattooed with a symbol to make
others aware of their status.
In Tahiti, tattoos were considered a tribal rite symbolizing
the journey of your life. Today tattoos have somewhat
returned to their earliest uses. Most people who get a
tattoo today do so purely for decorative reasons.
Not only have the reasons for tattoos changed through the
ages but the methods have changed as well...
Pricking was one of the first methods used by Native
Americans. Later on a few tribes in California modified the
process by using scratches to add color.
Polynesians used a small rake like tool to inject pigment
into the skin to create their tattoos.
The Maoris actually carved into the skin to create colored
grooves. Today tattoos are created by puncturing the skin
and injecting pigment with a needle. This style of
tattooing is similar to the process used by the Europeans.
Amazing story huh?
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