A Small History about Tattoos

After having three of my own tattoos (so far) and seeing them basically everywhere I go, I was curious about where the whole idea of tattoos came into place. I was lucky to be flipping through the channels when I passed a show on the Discovery Channel about tattoos. After doing my own research I’ll let you all in on what I have learned. Tattoos go way back in time, basically from the beginning of our existence as human beings. Archaeologists have found several mummified remains that were tattooed. The archaeologists found the tattoos near joints, leading them to believe that the tattoos were there for remedial purposes. One mummy dated back to 3300 BC and had fifty-seven tattoos.

Once I found out how long tattoos had been around, I wanted to know why people were getting inked. For tribes in the Philippines, Thailand, and Cambodia they were used for protection against evil, as good luck charms, and as decorations of bravery. The Māori, the Polynesian tribesmen, were decorated with intricate lines and swirls known as moko. The moko tattoos were applied to Māori as a rite of passage into adulthood, although only those of a higher social status were tattooed. Even today it is considered disrespectful to get a moko tattoo unless you are Māori. Tattoos are also used to express spiritual devotion, love, and punishment. Criminals used to be branded with tattoos in Japan so that once they were released the public would know who they were. The Yakuza, the organized criminals of Japan, took their tattoos and made them elaborate, full body tattoos.

So I got to thinking, okay back in the day they obviously did not have the same tattooing methods that we do, so how did they do it? Well, it was painful and brutal and I’m glad we are more advanced on that aspect. Designs were cut into the skin then rubbed with ash or ink by older tribes. Before that people would sharpen animal bones and poke the tattoo into the skin. Todays tattoos are done using an electronic tattoo gun that inserts needles into the skin up to 150 times per minute. And yes I did just say needles. The guns have needles that are barred together, though the amount changes with the shading and size. This gun was originally designed by Thomas Edison who created it as an embroidery machine. Samuel O’Reilly perfected Edison’s design and the first tattoo machine was patented by Thomas Riley.

So to sum things up, tattoos are awesome, not just to look at but also to learn from. Maybe now people will know why we have this innate desire to be inked, but please choose your artist carefully because, and I know this is redundant because we hear it all the time but, tattoos are permanent. Research the shop, the artist, everything, and I highly recommend Cobra Custom Tattoo in Plymouth, MA. They are by far the best I have been tattooed by.

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