Tattoo Origins
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When someone says "tattoo" what's the first thing that springs into mind?

Do you think about 'Love' and 'Hate' on someone's knuckles or a tribal mark around someone's arm or leg? Perhaps you think about Borneo tribesmen and their unique designs or the exquisite artwork of a facial portrait on someone’s arm?

Whatever image you associate with tattooing the origin is the same, unclear!

One thing we do know with the recovery of a mummified body in Italy near to Austria that the art of tattooing was practiced in middle Europe over 5,000 years ago.

Typically it is believed that tattooing was reserved for holy men or secret sects and it is likely that many cultures all over the world invented tattooing at different times for different reasons and used different methods.

The Egyptians have given us evidence with small clay figures bearing tattoos that they too practiced the art. It is believed that these tattoos may have been applied by puncture of the skin with either a needle or other such sharp object.

Our tattoo timeline suggests that the Egyptians first practiced the art of tattooing around 4,000 years ago and they were responsible for spreading the art to areas of Europe, Persia, Central Asia and Arabia across the Egyptian Empire merchant routes.

From here the art traveled across to Japan and China where many of the religious reasons for tattooing were ignored and the Southern Chinese took to tattooing as a purely ornamental form of art.

Tattooing continued to spread, however this time as a decorative art along the silk routes.

Japanese tattoo art (Irezumi or Horimono) covered large body parts but the influence of Confucianism and Buddhism on the Japanese culture gave a negative meaning to tattooing for the majority of Japanese people.


As a result the Japanese began to tattoo their criminals reinforcing the negative meaning to tattooing which was abolished in the late 1800's.

Today, the native belief continues in many Japanese people as tattooing is considered to be the mark of the Yakuza (member of the Japanese mafia).

Despite this history Japan has produced what many consider to be the most beautiful tattoo art with a style that is widely respected within the tattoo community.

Around the other side of the planet the Polynesians took tattoos to the Pacific Islands & New Zealand and are probably responsible for the largest dissemination of the practice.

The Polynesians used tattooing to give themselves a unique identity and display for all their sexual maturity and social status.

This practice extended to nearly all polynesians regions at this time.


The Polynesian beliefs and culture regarding tattooing were very strong and the Tahitians are even believed to perform a ritual tattoo ceremony at around the time of puberty to identify achievement so far and protect the body’s sacredness.

Polynesian belief was that the two sons of the God of Creation taught the art of tattooing to mankind and that this was a sacred art form only to be practiced by shaman who were very highly taught in tattoo methods and the religious rituals.


The Polynesian style survives still among the Maoris and the inhabitants of some of the Pacific Islands, very strict regulations and ritual like ceremonies accompany the procedures.

Meanwhile..

Tattooing was rife all across Europe with the Iberians, predecessors to the Celtic tribes, Teutonic tribes, Picts, Gauls and Greeks who were all busy tattooing with Romans who were branding and tattooing their criminals.

In the UK as the Norseman and Saxons came they brought with them a more refined and artistic tattooing style. From this point it became common for warriors, travelers and sailors to be adorned with tribal like tattoos.


During the time of early Christianity tattooing was common place with many Christians having the sign of the cross tattooed on either their face or arms - the implication was that they were permanent reminders of the belief and faith.

In around 300 A.D. Emperor Constantine declared that facial tattoo's were banned as he believed that we were created in God's image and that this should not be disfigured.


In 787 A.D. a council of religious leaders met in Calcuth (Northumberland) where they renounced tattooing in the eyes of the Christian church.

Years passed and it wasn't until Captain Cook came back from voyage with news of the Tahitians tattooing that once again the art received new attention in our modern world.

The early Americas no doubt received tattooing from Polynesian immigrants although today it is widely believed that the art in the U.S. came to them from sailors who as they traveled around exotic places bought back tattoos as memories of their voyages.

Today..

We practice the art of tattooing in most countries with ancient methods, styles and art being continued ~ new technologies, pigments and health care is available and here in the UK it's likely we all know someone who has a tattoo or two!

Polynesian, Maori, Inca and Aztec artwork survives as do the ancient tribal Celtic and Norse tattoos with the age old traditional methods of tattooing being practiced still (see our Links).

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Cult tattooing, tribal marks, fashion and personal meanings generally originate many of today's tattoo's in the UK, with an increasing number of artists and a growing tattoo culture it's not difficult to see why more and more people are
looking for there own little piece of tattoo history..
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