Tattoos Through the Ages
People often associate those who have tattoos with criminal activity or being socially outcast. That misconception is rapidly changing as more and more people from all walks of life are wearing tattoos. This form of body modification has always been a part of society and culture.
Over the years tattoos have taken on various roles of significance in a multitude of cultures. For some they were a mark that you had achieved a specific rite of passage. In others they denoted what tribe or clan you belonged to. Still in others they illustrated what skills you carried. They were even believed to ward off disease and illness in some spiritual groups.
Some of the earliest tattoos were worn by the ancient Egyptians. They used them to mark their peasants and slaves during the construction of the pyramids. While these are some of the earliest tattoos research has uncovered, it is likely they were used even earlier than this.
From Egypt the practice of tattooing was passed to China and then to Greece, where it was adopted as a practice to facilitate communication for espionage. The Japanese of this time incorporated them into their religious ceremonies. The main concern at this primitive stage in the history of tattoos is that infection was very common. They didn′t have the strict sanitizing procedures that are in place at tattoo parlors today.
While initially very popular with outlaw biker gangs to denote affiliate, tattoos exploded with popularity among Americans in the late 1960s. In fact it is estimated that nearly fifty percent of all Americans have at least one and they are no longer limited to the biker crowd.
Everyday people are getting a tattoo as a form of self expression and to tell to the world something about themselves. Some are designed to mark a special occasion, while others pay tribute to a loved one. The choices are limitless. The Web has made browsing design ideas even easier with several thriving online tattoo communities. Here artists and fans alike share inspiration and swap pictures. If you are undecided this will certainly give you plenty to consider.
