History of Tattoos

The history of tattoos is the history of man trying to transform his own experience. Whether it be Lakota warriors using tattoos to gain admittance to the afterlife or Dayak tribesmen getting tattoos to show that they have “beheaded” an enemy-- tattoos have played a prominent role in the social and cultural framework of mankind for the last 12,000 years.

The history of tattooing probably began with early humans attempting to mark themselves with crude lines and demarcations. This is proven by the discovery of a 5000 year old man found in 1991 preserved in ice. Iceman, as he came to be called, was interesting not only because he is the oldest example of tattooing, but also because his tattoos actually served a therapeutic purpose--many were in areas of skin above arthritic joints.

At some point in the history of tattoos color was added, probably from the pigment of plants. As the decorative nature of tattoos increased, so did its symbolism. Egyptian female mummies were tattooed to arouse male mummies and ensure resurrection while in Polynesian tribes such as the Maori, tribal face tattoos were used so that spirits would be able recognize them and help guide them in the afterlife.

But for many years the history of tattooing seemed to be relegated to the fringe of western society. In Japan they were continuing to use tattoos to designate felony status (one mark for each offense), and in many cultures tattoos continued to represent status and spiritual protection, but in the West much of the 19th and early 20th century tattoos were found in, of all places, the circus.

It wasn’t until LA tattoo artist Leo Zuleta borrowed his friend’s book depicting tribal tattoos of the Marquesan culture that tattoos began to explode in the West. By taking Polynesian tribal styles and infusing them with his own modern sensibilities, Zuleta tattooed many of his LA rock star friends. And when these friends showed up on MTV and numerous album covers the history of tattoos took a quantum leap forward.

Today tattoos are more popular than ever. With nearly 15% of the American population tattooed, or 40 million people, tattoos have come out of the shadows to become a viable part of the mainstream. Tattoos can still symbolize, as they do in many cultures, important spiritual/social/cultural--- or they can just look cool. Either way the history of tattoos is a tale of an art form that is completely controlled, in its significance and look, by the individual who wears it.