More History of
Tattoos
Tattoos have a rich history of tradition, dating back
thousands and thousands of years. Throughout the course
of time, there has always been an important role of tradition
and ritual behind tattoos. In the past, women in Borneo
used tattoos as a way to mark their skills. Tattoos were
also used in the past as a way to ward away illnesses and
disease by placing the tattoo around the fingers and on the
wrist. Throughout history, tattoos have also been used to
symbolize a clan or society as well.
The purpose of tattoos has differed from culture to culture
throughout the course of time. Research has shown that
the earliest tattoos come from Egypt during the time of the
pyramids, although most believe they started much
earlier. Egyptians at this time were believed to use
tattoos as a way to mark the slaves and the peasants.
Around 2,000 BC, tattoos spread to China and then on to Greece,
where the Greeks used tattoos as a way to communicate among
spies.
Along the way, Japan also incorporated the use of tattoos as
well. The Japanese people used tattoos for religious and
ceremonial rites. During this era, Borneo women were the
artists. They produced the designs that indicated the
individuals point in life and the tribe that he was affiliated
with. Tattoos were very popular during these days,
although infections were quite common. Tattoos were a
long way from being perfected – which showed in the way they
were done.
Tattoos were shown in the western regions as well, although
they weren’t well accepted at first. William Dampher, who
was once an explorer, was the man who re-introduced tattoos to
the western areas. During the year 1961, he brought a
heavily tattooed Prince to the area, showing off his tattoos
with exhibitions. He made quite a bit of money with these
attractions, which in turn made tattoos very popular and well
desired throughout London and surrounding areas. Before
then, it was nearly 600 years since tattoos had been witnessed
in the area.
Chatham Square, which is located in New York City, was the
first place to feature American styled tattoos. During
the turn of the century, Chatham Square attracted people from
all over the United States, especially those with money.
A man by the name of Samuel O-Reily set up shop in Chatham
Square, becoming the first man to use an electric tattoo
gun. In the beginning, the now popular tattoo gun was
based on Thomas Edison’s electric pin that used a needle point
to puncture paper.
The electric tattoo gun features moving coils, a needle bar
and tube, which are common components of today’s guns.
The electric gun was very popular, allowing those who wanted a
tattoo to get one at a great price. These guns helped to
revolutionize tattoos and allowed the tattoo artists to give
tattoos fairly fast as well. People took to this new
technology in flocks, making it by far the best and most
efficient ways to get tattoos.
During the late 1960s, tattoos really began to take
off. They were featured in magazines, television, and
talked about everywhere. These days, tattoos are very
common, with nearly ½ of the population in the United States
having at least one tattoo. They are still common with
bikers and clans, symbolizing that one is a member. There
are millions of designs out there for tattoos – including
different color combinations that have helped to make tattoos
the phenomenon they are today.
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