Chopper Tattoo Design and Tattoo History
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History of tattoos and their purpose today
Tattoos are not just a form of art any more of the elite or related to social crooks. Both younger and older people and from all professions are discovering their own distinct meaning in tattoos. Once strictly associated with social culprits, tattoos were done between close people sharing common ties and by persons expressing their own distinctiveness.
Tattooing is of this age in its form only in the tools and designs. The idea and fine art of tattooing has been existent for hundreds of years, starting as early as Ancient Egypt around 2000 B.C.Mummies of Egypt have been uncovered with evidence of line and dotted patterns having been tattooed on their bodies. They are in the biggest number of cases female Ancient Egypt mummies and the unique shapes on the bodies match those etched on figurines from the same narrow era. Some of these figurines have been related to the Goddess Hathor. Among one of the most famous tattooed mummies of Ancient Egypt is that of Amunet, a priestess of the Goddess of Hathor.The skill of creating tattoos in Egypt developed from the Nubians. It gained mature characteristics and it blossomed at the time of Middle Kingdom and well afterworld. Most of these early tattoos were done on women and for ritualistic practices.
Beyond Egypt, fine art of creating tattoos was popular in Japan and other Asian cultures. Throughout the Kofun, Jomon and Yayoi eras tattooing flourished. Archeological research has uncovered dogu (figurines) made throughout these historical periods with markings around the mouth thought to be tattoos. These marks have caused argumentative debates, but evidence of tattoo markings on Asian people of this period support the argument that the marks are tattoos and not mere ornamental decorations.
During the Yayoi times, 300 B.C. - 300 A.D., men in Japan and China decorated their faces and bodies to ward off large serpents and evil forces and spirits. The variations and size of the tattoos differed according to the societal position and rank of the individual.
Tattooing through Kofun period of 300 - 600 A.D. Took on more meaning through society. Thieves bore specific tattoos and tattooing became a punishment for other crimes and associated with prisoners and gangs. Tattooing was not something done by the upper society. To this day, in Japan, ideas about tattoos have not changed much and are still thought of as being associated with the mob, criminals and deviants of lower society.
Elsewhere in the world, tattooing was reserved to the elitist culture. People are often amazed to note that royalty such as King George V, Grand Duke Alexis of Russia and King Harold bore tattoos. At one time, tattooing was an expensive form of art expression, inaccessible to regular individuals. Tattoo artists were viewed as highly as brush artists.
In the 1700’s in London, a heavily tattooed Polynesian male name Omai caused a big thrill. Some upper class people requested small discrete tattoos after seeing his artistic body.
In early American history, the tattoo was reserved for the elite. Native Americans were well known for their tattoos and many European Americans began to see tattooing differently with the elite of Europe showing tattoos. The popularity of the tattoo remained with the military during World War II. Sailors and soldiers bore their allegiances to their country and their women with body art. They bore names of their units, ships and divisions proudly. Tattoo shops were located on docks and near military bases and tattooing bloomed.
The introduction of the electric tattoo gun caused the prices to drop and tattooing to be accessible to everyone. This led the tattoo to be associated with lower classes, including circus people who often displayed extravagant facial designs and full body tattoos.
Another transformation in tattooing history came with the Hippie movement. Before and during these times, people were having peace signs, ying yangs and other symbols tattooed. Flower power was permanently placed as body art and proudly displayed. After the Hippie movement many of the tattooed held prominent jobs within the common society. Tattoos were no longer for the societal deceivers.
Today, tattooing has reached a new popularity. Henna, an Indian practice, is popular as long lasting temporary body art and more temporary tattoos are emerging and found in all types of stores. No longer just for the elite and no longer strictly related to the societal defaulters, tattooing has reached its own level of individuality, as unique as the tattoo artist and the tattooed.
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