Tattoos

In the past tattoos were symbol of faith, they defined the membership in the group, were used to deter the enemies. Today they are part of pop culture.

History of tattooing dates back to ancient Egypt. The oldest body decoration regarded as tattoo was discovered on the body of the mummy whose age is estimated at 2200 years.

In ancient Greece tattoos were used to classify the higher social status – they were a sign of noble birth.
In Roman Empire tattoos have people who were a soldiers or slaves.
In primary nations tattooing was a ritual function less than aesthetic. Not everyone could have a tattoo – it had to be earned. Tattoos could symbolize finished initiation process, they allows to integrate with social group. Tattoos on the body wore mostly by warriors.
Maori tribal tattoo on the left.

In Japanese culture tattoo had magical and religious aspects (tattooed were participants of rites). Also they were used to classify to a social group - tattoos marks the geishas and criminals.
At the end of the eighteenth century Japanese tattoo rose to the rank of art. Tattoo makers came to be regarded as artists. Today the permanent drawings on the body are part of the country's national culture.

In Europe the precursors of tattoos dissemination can be sailors whose body decoration was a souvenir of the trip.


Why tattoo nowadays? In the most as aesthetic or cosmetic reasons and as a manifestation of something by its owner.

Specific function had and still have the criminal tattoos - shows positions in the hierarchy. For example, a dot between the fo
refinger and thumb means thief. Still we can meet with the stereotype that the tattooed person must be criminal.
At this link below you can find the meaning of prison tattoos.



Nowadays each of us can get tattoo, we do it to distinguish itself, to have a sort of amulet which is a magical weapon in the fight against failure. For other of us they could remind our values and the important events in our lives. Regardless of what directs us we must seriously think about this step, because to make a tattoo is much easier than to remove it later.
Please see some examples below.

Finally let me show you video about a man who tattooed own eyeballs:



What do you think about tattoos? Does any of you have one? What do you think about these extreme tattoos and what about the tattooed eyeballs?Would you risk blindness to get this one? In your opinion which of these tattoos was not a good idea?