History of Tattoo

The word Tattoo has been derived from the Polynesian word 'tatao', which means tapping or marking something. This term was first coined by Captain James Cook in the year 1769, when he met the Tahitians during his voyage, who had decorated their bodies with tattoos. At that time, tattooing was a very painful procedure. The technique of tattooing has now undergone a major modification. Read on to know more about the origin & history of tattoo.

Initially this body art involved piercing into the body, which was done by dropping a sharp-pointed comb into lampblack and then inserting it into the skin. Despite the trouble involved, many people got their bodies tattooed, especially arms. The tradition of tattooing, which was originally practiced in Tahiti and other Polynesian islands spread its influence in Europe too. In those days, it was mainly worn by the sailors, drunkards and criminals.

The archeological excavations have revealed that this tradition of tattooing has been an integral part of many ancient cultures. In the year 1992, in the Alp region that lies between the border of Austria and Italy, a properly preserved body of a man was found. According to the estimations of the archeological department, it is expected that this man died near about 5000 years ago. He had 58 tattoos all over his body. Most of the ancient Egyptian mummies had tattoos. The Greeks and Romans of the bygone times used tattoo for identifying the slaves and criminals.

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