Tattooing in one form or another has been practiced for centuries. Originating in Asia, the art of tattooing for religious meaning, cultural tradition or just for appearances has spread worldwide. While some tattoos are chosen because the wearer has an affinity for the artwork, many tattoos have a universal meaning that goes beyond the basic graphic.
The following are a few examples of the meanings of tattoos that have a universal symbolism for wearers, artists and admirers.
The Maori, the native tribe of New Zealand, are known for their distinctive facial tattoos. The tattoos are not restricted to the face, but usually take up a part or even all of the face. The deep grooves and patterns of Ta Moko, the name the Maori give the process of making the tattoos, are a storytelling device. People from the tribe who wear these tattoos are retelling the history of their family. In fact, the tribe considers people that are not Maori, but copy and wear the tattoos, phonies who are performing a form identity theft. If a person wishes to wear tattoos in the style of the Maori, they should seek out an artist who is familiar with the original patterns. An artist experienced with this style of tattoo can create one in the style of the originals without copying exactly.
Chinese Symbols Tattoo
Wearing Chinese symbols has become extremely popular in the Western world, however they are not popular in China. When a Chinese character is used for a tattoo, more often than not it is in the form of traditional Hanzi. The written language of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, Hanzi consists of over 40,000 characters. There is also the option of Simplified Chinese, created to further literacy in mainland China, Singapore and Malaysia. Although they look like delicate little works of art, each symbol has its own meaning. The most popular Chinese symbols used for tattoos are love, strength and family. People who wish to wear these beautiful tattoos must do their research and make sure they fully understand which character they choose. Although all the characters are beautiful to look at, sometimes a person requests a tattoo with a certain meaning, but for whatever reason, ends up with a tattoo that has a decidedly different meaning.
Teardrop Tattoo
The teardrop tattoo first appeared in the 1960’s. The meaning of this tattoo can vary depending on how it is drawn. An empty teardrop can symbolize a friend or a loved one that was killed, and now the wearer of the teardrop is looking for revenge. The teardrop is filled in with ink when revenge has been achieved. In prison, the teardrop can also be a warning to other prisoners that the wearer has committed a murder.
Dolphins Tattoo
The dolphin has been considered a highly social and intelligent animal with a special connection to the human race. Dolphin tattoos can have several meanings. Since dolphins have a playful nature, many times people with the same attitude and personality will get the tattoo to represent themselves. The dolphin can also represent being free or achieving a dream. Another common meaning of this tattoo relates to the mammal having a dual nature. It is from the sea but it breathes air and a dolphin tattoo wearer may be representing their own dual nature with their tattoo.
Butterfly Tattoo
The butterfly is an image that often represents change or a metamorphosis. A caterpillar changes into a butterfly and very likely the wearer of a butterfly tattoo has gone through a transition or a transformation. The butterfly can demonstrate a literal change, such as growing from a child to an adult, or a symbolic one, such as persevering through a difficult time.
Rose Tattoo
The rose tattoo is a complex and has many different meanings depending on the color and style of the artwork. Worn by both men and women, the rose can mean love or inner and outer beauty. Thorns added to the rose may serve as a reminder that beauty is only skin deep. A single rose with thorns can mean the pain a person had to go through to achieve true love. A rose that is black will mean love lost or even a memorial. White roses represent innocence and yellow can mean faith and hope.
Clown Tattoo
Like the rose, the meaning of the clown tattoo changes depending on how it is drawn. Clowns can be happy, sad, evil and jesters. While the clown tattoos can be straightforward, they can also represent humor, sadness and uncertainty. These tattoos are sometimes worn by gang members with a laugh now and cry later or a play now and pay later meaning behind the clown image.
Phoenix Tattoo
Richly symbolic in literature and mythology, the phoenix rising out of the ashes is a straightforward image in tattoo art. Resurrection, rebirth and reaching a new height is what the phoenix means in any context. When choosing the image of the phoenix, people tend to choose the phoenix in the process of rising up from the ashes.
Star Tattoo
The star tattoo is one of the oldest, and it has behind it a rich history of meaning. To the sailors who sported the tattoo in the past, nautical stars represented safely navigating home. It has similar meanings now. The tattoo is popular with people in the armed forces and represents returning home safely. Another very different meaning for this tattoo belongs to prison culture. Each point on the star represents a year that a person has spent behind bars.
While there are commonly found meanings in tattoos, it is also necessary to note that sometimes the meanings of tattoos are nothing more than someone liked the way it looked in the book. As any person who sports a tattoo will agree, sometimes a rose is just a rose.
Wolf
Wolves are seen as symbols of courage, loyalty and strength in Native American culture. The Romans and the Greeks considered the wolf a sacred animal and a sign of power. It is essential to note that the wolf is viewed as a bad omen in the Celtic and Chinese cultures.
The dove is one of those images that has a historic meaning that goes back for centuries. On its own, the dove represents peace. When two doves are pictured together, they can symbolize two people in a loving relationship. To demonstrate a fresh start or a rebirth, often a single dove with a palm branch will be used for the tattoo.
The signs of the zodiac are used in tattoos when people identify with the attributes associated with their sign. There are positive and negative qualities, images, and colors associated with each of the 12 signs that can be incorporated into an individual’s zodiac tattoo.
Images of the sun are found throughout many different cultures going back to ancient times. Seen universally as a giver of life, a few of the many meanings behind the sun tattoo are strength, endurance, fertility, and rebirth. The sun can be drawn in several different styles depending on if it is representing a specific tribe or not. When the sun and the moon are drawn together, the meaning of the tattoo changes and it becomes feminine. Together, the sun and moon represent a man and a woman who are joined to each other spiritually.
While the peace sign is a highly recognizable symbol, there are many ways that people who wear it can add variety to it and make it a more personal image. People with friends or family in the military will add a yellow ribbon or dog tags to signify their military connection. A peace sign can also represent that a person who is going through a rocky transformation or a tumultuous time is keeping their mind focused on the goal. Drawing around the peace sign or within the peace sign also turns the symbol into something more meaningful. Often people will request the flag of a country or a dove to make the picture more meaningful.
The tiger has often been considered the leader, or the king, of the animal kingdom. When a person chooses a tiger for their tattoo, they are using the image to convey strength and power. Tigers can also mean pride, beauty, passion, violence, and in some cultures, punishment for those who have done something wrong. The Japanese samurai use the tiger as their primary emblem for all of the same reasons that people choose to have the tiger tattoo. People who are interested in the tiger tattoo should bear in mind that white tigers are only the result of inbreeding, and thus all white tigers are born with handicaps of some sort. This information should be considered by anyone who wishes to have a white tiger tattoo instead of a standard tiger. Siberian tigers can reach a length of over ten feet and represent the greatest power among all the images of the tiger.
The octopus tattoo has a significant meaning to those who choose to wear one. Famous for being able to regenerate a lost limb, the octopus can represent a trauma that a person has successfully triumphed over in their past. Many cultures consider the number eight a mystical number, because it is the symbol for infinity. The octopus has eight legs and becomes sacred when it represents the nature of the sacred number.
The heart tattoo is one of the more famous images, and it is a longtime favorite for tattoo enthusiasts. At the turn of the century sailors often sported the tattoo with the name of a girlfriend, wife, or their mother as a lucky charm. The most obvious current meaning of this tattoo is love. Wisely or unwisely, it is often used to represent a romantic relationship when names are written on or around it. More obscure meanings include representation of the soul or the spiritual center.
Kokopelli was worshiped by Native Americans and can have a variety of meanings depending on the tribe. Commonly, the god is considered a representative of fertility and agriculture, and the overall theme is renewal and growth. He is also associated with tricks and has a fun loving persona. When Kokopelli is drawn, he is often holding what some believe is a flute and others say is a blowgun.
The rose may be in a category by itself, but many flowers have their own meanings when they are represented in a tattoo.
- Pansy – Seen as the flower of remembrance and togetherness, this flower can be used when a tattoo is meant to be a memorial of a friend or loved one.
- Cherry Blossom – Known mostly as a feminine tattoo, the cherry blossom represents beauty and love in China, and how brief life is in Japan.
- Lily – The lily has many different meanings, and depending on the origins, it can actually have opposite definitions. In ancient Egypt, the lily symbolized fertility. In medieval times it was a sign of purity. The tiger lily often represents pride or wealth, and the calla lily can be an image that represents physical beauty. The orange lily can mean hate or anger.
- Daisy – This is another flower that is closely associated with women and is more common for a woman to wear. They are usually drawn delicately and are small. The daisy represents purity, innocence in and loyalty in a romantic relationship.
- Sunflower – A large and bright flower, the sunflower is usually drawn as it is in real life. It can often represent loyalty and strong admiration.
Captain Cook is considered to be the Western man who discovered tattoos when he encountered them during his adventures in the South Pacific in 1769, but the art dates back to ancient cultures all over the world. In fact, scientists believe that markings on the Iceman, a mummified body thought to be from 3300 B.C., are tattoos. These markings are currently the oldest evidence of tattooing in the world. Tattoos have also been found on Egyptian and Nubian mummies dating back to around 2000 B.C. Classic texts indicate that tattooing was a common practice among the ancient Greeks, Germans, Gauls and Britons.The Iceman was discovered in 1992 at the border of Austria and Italy. He is believed to have lived somewhere around 3300 B.C., which makes him over 5000 years old. He was found frozen under ice. Because he was frozen, he is extraordinarily well preserved. Archaeologists count 58 tattoos on his body. These tattoos are simple lines and dots. Researchers consider the Iceman to have been an average man and conclude that tattooing was a normal cultural practice when he was alive.
The oldest known picture tattoos were found in Siberia. A line of frozen graves were discovered in the Altai Mountains in Southern Siberia just after World War II. While excavating a well preserved grave of a chieftain, archaeologists found his body covered in tattoos of different animals.
Hawaiians, Tahitians and Polynesians regularly practiced the art of tattooing. These are the tattoos Captain Cook discovered during his travels. Though Captain Cook thought he discovered something new, the art of tattoo had been practiced for thousands of years.
The word tattoo originates from the Tahitian word tatau, which means “to mark.”
Methods of Tattooing
Just as they do today, methods of tattooing varied among cultures and tribes of the ancient world. Pricking the skin with a sharp needle was the typical practice of tattooing among the tribes of North and South America. The people of Polynesia and Micronesia inserted pigment into the skin by tapping a tool that resembled a small rake. In Hawaii, tattoo artists used the razor sharp edge of a shell attached to the end of a stick. In Nubia, designs were tattooed on flesh using a fish bone set into a wooden handle.
Reasons for Tattooing
The reasons for getting a tattoo in ancient times vary just as much as they do today. The tattoos on the Iceman are believed to be for therapeutic reasons. According to researchers, the tattoos found on his body correlate directly to areas where he experienced repeated muscle strain. Egyptians also used tattooing for therapeutic purposes. Several female mummies have been found with markings that indicate they were tattooed during pregnancy to alleviate pain. Egyptians also tattooed women during religious rituals.
For many tribes, tattoos were used to represent status. People in the upper class had more tattoos than those in the lower class. In general, the intricacy of the tattoos indicated a higher social status as well.
Some tribal members, like the chieftain uncovered in Siberia, wore tattoos of their totem animal for luck or protection. A totem animal is believed to assist or watch over a group of people. Some tribes believe that their totem animal has magical powers.
Ancient Greek and Roman women believed tattoos to be exotic beauty marks. They wore them as women today wear makeup. In contrast, ancient Greeks and Romans also tattooed criminals, gladiators and slaves as a mark of lower class or punishment.
Polynesian tattoos are considered the most detailed and skillful in the ancient world. In general, Polynesians tattooed themselves to display the strength of their mana which means “life force.”
Hawaiian tattoos were known as kakaus which means “ornamentations.” Hawaiians tattooed to note distinction in rank and war. They also tattooed to guard health and spiritual well-being. Hawaiians sometimes used totem animals in their designs. When in mourning, Hawaiians tattooed three dots on their tongue.
In Tahiti, tattoos were used to mark a girl who has reached sexual maturity. At the appropriate age, the girl’s behind was tattooed black. Tahitians also used tattoos to mark status and tribal affiliation.
The Maori people of New Zealand were well known for their unique style of tattooing. They tattooed skin in the same way they carved wood. Their method was to slice small rivers in the skin. These tattoos were often on the face and told stories of status, ancestry and tribal affiliation. Warriors were also tattooed to tell the tales of their exploits in war.
In ancient Thailand, monks were the only tattoo artists. They incorporated magic powers into the designs they tattooed. Monks in Thailand were not allowed to touch women so they only tattooed men. During ancient times, Thais also believed that women had enough strength on their own and did not need the magical powers of the tattoo.
Native Americans tattooed for various reasons according to tribe. For some, the tattoo represented status and successes in battle. In other tribes, tattoos represented animal totems. In most tribes, women showed their marital status with a tattoo on the chin.
During the Crusades of the 11th and 12th centuries, warriors tattooed the Jerusalem cross on their bodies so they would be given a Christian burial if they died in combat.
Japan has a very interesting history in the art of tattoo. Upper class people in Japan wore intricately decorated kimonos, but lower class people were not permitted to wear decorative kimonos. In response, lower class people rebelled by tattooing colorful body suits on themselves. These people hid their tattoos beneath their clothes during the day.
Bringing the Tattoo to the Masses
Initially, Western folk considered tattoos to be scary and repulsive. Much of Christian culture viewed tattoos as a defiling of the body. In fact, American Indians and Polynesians made money showing their “horrifying” tattoos at circuses and fairs during the 18th and 19th centuries.
In 1846, this attitude began to change. In this year, the first permanent tattoo shop was set up in New York City. This tattoo shop was frequented by military servicemen. Martin Hildebrandt began the shop and also started the tradition of the tattoo among military personnel. In the 1890s, his daughter, Nora, became famous when she toured with the Barnum and Bailey Circus as the Tattooed Lady.
Japan banned tattoos in 1870. Japanese men and women responded by taking the art of tattoo underground. People tattooed themselves to display their inner longings and impulses. These tattoos were usually colorful and vibrant. This style of bright and bold tattoos lives on in Japanese culture today.
In 1891, Samuel O’Reilly invented the electric tattooing machine. After this invention, the art of tattooing became more efficient and detailed. Due to this invention, the popularity of tattoos grew. The design of O’Reilly’s tattoo machine was so excellent that tattoo machines are still based on it today.
By the end of the 1920s, circuses employed more than 300 people with full-body tattoos. These tattooed men and women were mostly white, American Indian and Polynesian. They could earn up to $200 per week. This amount was a fortune at that time.
After the Lindbergh baby was kidnapped in 1932, many parents had their children tattooed with their family name. Around this time, women also became interested in using tattoos as permanent makeup. In 1936, social security cards were issued in the United States. Many people had their social security numbers tattooed on their arm.
In the 1960s, there was a decline in the popularity of tattooing due to an outbreak of Hepatitis B. In 1961, New York City banned tattooing, fearing an epidemic. The ban remained in effect until 1997.
The Art of Tattoo in Today’s World
Today tattoos serve as many purposes as they did in ancient times. Military men, gang members and sorority girls are just some of the people who get a tattoo to show affiliation with their tribe. Tattoos are used to memorialize a loved one or to show grief. Competitive athletes use tattoos to commemorate a victory in battle by tattooing their best marathon time, fastest pitch or longest winning streak on their bodies. Women and men use tattoos to decorate an area of their body they either love or hate. People get tattoos of their personal symbols of strength and power. Prisoner use tattoos to tell the story of the crimes they have committed.
Today, tattoos are popular among all classes of people. Famous actors, athletes and models regularly strut their ink. High school graduates flock to tattoo parlors and view getting their first tattoo as a rite of passage. Grandfathers and grandmothers see no shame in getting a tattoo. Newlyweds tattoo wedding bands instead of buying rings.
The styles of tattoos available have never been more varied. Some tattoo artists specialize in recreating the indigenous tattoos of the ancient world while other artists are creating new, innovative ways to ink.
References:
www.designboom.com/history/tattoo_history.html
www.tlc.howstuffworks.com/body-art/history-of-tattooing.htm
www.msu.edu/~krcmari1/individual/history/html
Original article and pictures take tattoodle.net site
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