Tribal Tattoos: Designs & Origins
Traditional tattoos are typically preserved when skin has been mummified or preserved in ice or peat, but nobody knows definitely when the 1st tattoo was inked.
This blog post is written to take you on a fast trip around the globe looking at some engaging facts about the origins of tattoo designs.
The Pacific Islands
It is said the word tattoo originated from the Tahitian word tatau, meaning 'to mark'.
Maori men tattooed their faces with ferocious looking patterns and Maori girls tattooed their lips and chins and were an indication of beauty. These tattoos are caved into the flesh employing a bone chisel, and ink is then placed in the cuts. Lately Maori tattoos have become popular in the tattoo world.
In Samoa the tattoo marks the ability to bear pain and is still true today.
Tattooing in Japan is thought to go back some ten thousand years, with potentially the most recognizable (and possibly the prettiest and elaborate) type of Japanese body art is linked with the arranged crime group the Yakuza.
Central and South America
There is proof showing that before the arrival of the Spanish in Central and South America that tattoos and body painting was widespread and largely utilised for social and spiritual purposes (rather than just decorative). The appearance of the Spanish marked the beginning of a fast decline and termination of many indigenous cultures, taking with them the awareness of how these looked and how they were applied.
Central and SA
Tribal tattoos designs were historically applied employing a the technique of marking out the design on the skin with series of black dots, which works less well on darker skins. This will explain why tribal tattoos are not as prevalent as in Central and South African cultures. Instead of tattoos "skin painting and scarification is employed generally as a way of decorating the body.
Europe
The remains of tzi the Iceman were discovered entombed in a glacier in the Italian/Austrian Alps and have been dated back some 5,000 years shows he had about 57 carbon tattoos composed from straightforward dots and lines on his lower backbone, on his right ankle and behind his left knee.
Tattooing in Europe has manifestly been around for thousands of years (as demonstrated on tzi the Iceman), even though it was believed that Captain Cook 're-introduced ' tattooing into Europe after his expedition around the Pacific in 1769. Many sailors returned bearing permanent mementos on their bodies. Since the return of this excursion, tattoos have been associated with life on the sea.
Tribal Tattoos Designs
Tribal Tattoos Designs change significantly apropos their design and style, however they mostly use massive areas of solid black called 'blackwork '
Below are one or two links to other websites which, if you're searching for tribal tattoo designs or forearm tattoo designs would be the best place to begin to look (please note we may get a commission if you are going to buy anything from these sites).
Discover more about tattoos at sleeve tattoosand japanese tattooos
