As tattoos are slowly but surely gaining acceptance and popularity amongst most of the American population, it is interesting to note how widespread the appeal of this practice is becoming in other countries around the world.  It is also interesting to consider how various other cultures view this practice, and whether those views have changed over time as has been the case with the United States.

Although it may be surprising to Americans whose main source of familiarity with Oriental symbols and other artwork comes from viewing this lovely, traditional art in tattoo studios all across the United States, due to the significant influence of Buddhist and Confucianist religions both the Japanese and Chinese societies take a very negative view of tattoos.  In these societies, tattooing was a means of branding criminals;  it was not acceptable for citizens to engage in the process.  In today’s society, tattoos are still unacceptable.  Although their younger generation usually takes a more liberal view of tattooing, the youngsters who have them generally keep them covered.

Tattoos have long been a part of life for royalty in Great Britain.  Following in the footsteps of his predecessors King George the fifth and King Edward the seventh, one of today’s most well-known royal figures, Prince Charles, also sports a tattoo.  Unlike in the distant past, however, tattoos in Great Britain are no longer limited to the class of royalty;  during the past few decades, tattoos showing up on their rock stars has brought the practice to the mainstream population.  What was once a status symbol for wealthy public figures has become a widespread part of everyday life for the younger generations.

In Mexico, tattoos were originally thought of as a symbol of courage.  The early explorers who arrived in Mexico in 1519 believed the practice to be the influence of Satan.  In a recent survey, more than half of those polled who were over age thirteen stated that they would consider getting a tattoo.  While most expressed a preference for designs such as flowers, religious symbols, or names, some said they would like a tattoo of their favorite brands of soda or beer.  This is assisting in marketing to some degree, as many people in Mexico City now consider tattoos to be a fashion accessory, not only widely acceptable but in style.

In Vietnam, tattooing is still currently illegal, and is rarely done except in prisons.  For those who insist on having some type of body modification in light of the laws against tattooing, cigarette burns are used instead.  It is rare that anyone other than gang members utilize this practice.

Considering both the Biblical prohibitions against tattooing and the still-present memories of the Holocaust, it is not surprising that most of the older generation in Israel continues to hold a negative view of tattoos.  It is a little surprising, though, that the younger generation not only does not always share this viewpoint, and actually considers the practice of getting tattoos of religious symbols to be a visible sign of pride in their Jewish heritage and identity.

In assessing both the historical aspects and present-day points of view, it’s not difficult to see that for many countries around the world culture plays a significant role in whether or not tattoos are thought of as an acceptable form of self-expression.  In most cases it is also clear that with or without cultural influences, times change and with the changing times comes different ways of looking at the subject of tattoos.  What took a very long time to gain widespread popularity in the United States has proceeded in a similar fashion in most other countries also.

What did President Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill’s mother have in common?  They both had tattoos.  While Jennie Churchill’s tattoo was allegedly covered for the sake of reputation, and Teddy Roosevelt’s was simply in a location which was not readily visible, this information caused a stir amongst many of their day as well as modern-day history buffs. President Roosevelt’s daughter Alice also had a tattoo which was in a concealed location. Neither Mrs. Churchill’s nor President Roosevelt’s artwork, however, lent itself to gaining a sense of respectability amongst the average citizens.  Even when such notable figures possessed tattoos, they were still considered to be socially unacceptable for most people.

Going as far back as any studies have been on the subject, it is claimed that the “Ice Man” who lived some 3300 years B.C., had some form of tattoos.  Upon discovering the remains, researchers have been able to do little but guess that this most primitive form of tattoo was for the purpose of warding off evil spirits, or that it may have been some type of rite-of-passage.  Combined on his spine and behind one knee and on one ankle, the Ice Man had approximately fifty-seven tattoos.  While it is impossible to do more than speculate as to the actual reason for them, it certainly shows that tattoos are not unique to current eras nor to the people in the modern-day world.  As the Ice Man was the oldest mummified human remains found in Europe, today’s tattoo fans have history on their side–  there’s nothing “modern” about tattoos.

In the distant past, tattoos were connected to an entirely different nature than they have been during the last few decades.  There was nothing notorious or rebellious about them.  It used to be that tattoos were reserved for those of high social standing, and were not available to average people.  Tattoos were only available to–  and a sign of–  those who were wealthy, important, and usually in some high position of government or royalty.  Sweden’s King Oscar had tattoos;  so did England’s King George the fifth.  In that era, tattoos were a status symbol.

In other time-periods, tattoos also served specific purposes.  Going the furthest back in American history, many Native American tribes utilized the practice of tattoos;  it was primarily for the purpose of showing one’s connection to one’s specific tribe.  For the Polynesians, tattooing was a method of relating family history;  each individual person had his own individual tattoos to show the story of his family.  Some of the earliest explorers on the American continent have been said to have acquired this practice from the Polynesians’ forms of tattoos.

Two of the oldest Egyptian mummies were discovered to have had tattoos.  These tattoos, which have only been found on female mummies, consist of patterns of lines, dots and dashes.  As the women themselves were connected to ritualistic practices, it is assumed that the tattoos they had in common were in some way representative of that fact.  It is only speculation on the parts of the researchers, of course, based on their knowledge of the lifestyles of that period in time.

Although Oriental symbols are quite popular for tattoos in America, it is not widely known that both the Japanese and Chinese cultures have held a strong opposition to the practice of tattooing throughout history.  With both societal and religious viewpoints agreeing that tattooing is something which should not be done, it is still considered to be a means of contaminating one’s body.  For the ancient Chinese, tattooing was used as a punishment for criminal activity, putting such visible marks on a person to forever brand him as a criminal.

We’ve all seen tattoos of various designs, styles, sizes, shapes and colors.  Aside from the fact that tattoos can be removed by lasers, surgery and other methods, they are quite permanent.  Most people have very specific reasons for these lifelong marks and some even have stories behind each one.

One simple reason for a typical tattoo is just for looks.  The tattoo may be one that resembles one seen on a celebrity.  It may also be a design that is simply pleasing to the eye.  Perhaps the tattoo has bright colors or neat shapes that attract the eye.  Aesthetics are one common reason for many tattoos.

Another reason why one might get a tattoo is as a memorial.  Friends and family who have passed away are often memorialized through tattoos.  These memorials are also often created in the memory of a particular celebrity.  These might be designed with flowers, crosses or other shapes and dates of birth and death.  They might include special sayings that were important to the deceased.  They may also involve complicated tattoos that are copied off an actual photograph.

Children and relationships are a popular reason for getting a tattoo.  Millions will have tattoos designed incorporating a child’s, spouse’s or partner’s name.  Typically these will be accompanied by other designs such as flowers, butterflies, shapes and even likenesses.  Hearts, stars and script letters are often found on spouse or partner name tattoos.

Many people will have tattoos designed to commemorate special events experienced during their lifetimes.  Achievements, difficult times and other special events are often displayed as a lifetime reminder of an important time in one’s life.

Tattoos also represent spiritual status for many cultures.  They can also be a symbol for social ranking.  Some social groups are known for specific tattoos which would require a member to receive the same.  Others are known for having tattoos in general, regardless of their designs.

Expressing individuality and personality are often the most common reasons for getting a tattoo.  If a person likes butterflies, they might get a single tattoo or multiple tattoos flaunting butterflies.  If another enjoys a particular field in which they are employed, they might have tattoos representing what they do for a living.

There are other ways to look at expressing individuality through tattoos, however.  Many tattoos are designed to reflect heritage.  Ancient symbols that are associated with the history of many cultures are often displayed on those who are of a particular culture’s decent.  For example, someone of Irish decent may choose a tattoo depicting the Claddaugh design while another of Egyptian decent might prefer one similar to ancient ancestors.  On the other hand, many choose designs resembling certain cultures simply for aesthetics.

Regardless of where you want to have your tattoo applied on the body or where you have the procedure done, it’s important to comprehend why you really want the tattoo.  Tattoos are permanent.  Having a tattoo created for the right reasons, and reasons that are truly important to you will help increase the enjoyment of the design for years to come.

In the distant past, tattoos had the smallest modicum of acceptance, primarily based on the people who wore them.  When military men came back to the States after serving overseas, it was difficult to express too much negativity about the names of their sweethearts or “Mom and Dad” emblazoned on their arms.  It’s likely that the acceptance was more for the wearer than the tattoo, though, for tattoos had not attained a degree of respectability with the American public in general.  As syphilis became more widespread, and with the less-than-sanitary tattooing procedures adding to its increase, New York City eventually banned tattooing, and did not make the practice legal again until 1997.

As disdain for the military began to spread across the United States, so did a new counter-culture.  To most Americans during that time-period, the word “tattoo” was synonymous for those who were outside of the mainstream of America, thumbing their noses at society.  It brought to mind the fringe-element of undesirables, from the widely-movie “Easy Rider” to the infamous Hell’s Angels.  Greasy individuals who rode motorcycles and displayed obnoxious artwork on various parts of their bodies–  bikers were only “cool” amongst their own kind, and thought of in a very unfavorable light by most of the American population.  In general, tattoos were limited to that range of individuals;  and both the bikers and their “sleeves” was something the population at large preferred to do without.

Although in some locales, especially those with Navy bases, tattoos continued to enjoy a moderate degree of acceptance throughout the ‘seventies, they still were not considered a respectable means of personal expression within the mainstream population.  The younger generation who lived in these areas, with the usual curiosity of youth, often frequented tattoo parlors and began to make tattoos a part of their lifestyle.  As these were usually young adults whose lifestyle included drug use and too much alcohol, their embracing the practice of tattoos did not assist in convincing the older generation that there was anything positive about it.  One tattoo artist who practiced in the Navy town of Port Hueneme, California, remarked that the types of individuals whose lifestyle included tattoos were the kind of people who “don’t usually make it to forty years old.”

Also commenting that tattoos are “a fever,” he shed some light on the most negative aspects of this practice.  Even though by law artists were not supposed to do such artwork on individuals who were in any state of intoxication, his clients were usually in either of two categories:  those who requested tattoos while seriously under-the-influence, and the fainters.  His tattoo studio had a large couch for the benefit of the latter.  Young drug users and Navy men made up the majority of his customers.

It was not until the early eighties that tattoos began to gain positive exposure.  With the Long Island based band “The Stray Cats” appearing on the cover of the  music magazine Rolling Stone, not only did this bring the rockabilly music style back into popularity it was also one of the first steps in helping tattoos gain widespread appeal.  In stepping away from the coarse music of that particular time-period, the Stray Cats’ scope was that of good clean music and good clean fun;  and tattoos were a part of that image.  Suddenly everybody wanted to be a part of it all, including the tattoos;  and although it was often to the chagrin of the older generation, tattoos began to have less negativity attached to them.

As tattoos ceased to be solely connected to the counter-culture, they started to appear on everybody.  In the following years they started showing up on average Americans all across the United States.  Tattoo studios sprung up in cities that had colleges and universities, making tattoos an accepted part of life for students.  As the people in that age group became older, their tattoos remained, as well as the interest in tattoos developing amongst the newer younger generation.  In most parts of the United States they are now commonplace, and considered to be just a basic form of self-expression.

These days, it is not uncommon for tattoos to be associated with other forms of body art.  In many areas, especially larger cities, tattoo studios are no longer solely tattoo studios, as they also offer piercings.  In combining these two, two issues frequently arise.  First, while many people consider tasteful, well-done tattoos to be a legitimate form of self-expression through artwork, a large number in this category also consider body piercing to be unacceptable;  or, at the very least, undesirable.  It is difficult to communicate this to young people, especially teenagers, when an increasing number of tattoo studios also offer body piercing.  Kids will naturally assume that if artwork is acceptable, acquiring holes and rings in various parts of their anatomies should also be acceptable.

A second important issue regarding this subject is that while states generally have strict regulations surrounding tattoos, that is not always the case with body piercing.  Even when tattooing is strictly regulated to the extent that minors cannot be tattooed, or, in some states, requiring the parent’s consent for the process, it is becoming an increasing problem in some areas that body piercing carries no such requirements.

There are a couple of serious repercussions to this fact.  First, many parents rightfully consider it to be a violation of parental rights to find that “piercing artists” can undermine their parental authority by putting piercings in their under-aged kids, not only without a parent’s consent but without their knowledge in advance.

Second, in the areas where this can legally be done, there is also the issue of health standards.  While the general rule is that a person is presented with risk factors in writing prior to getting a tattoo, piercing artists often allow minors to sign health waivers;  although this is illegal, it is sometimes done anyway.

This opens up a whole “can of worms” with both legal and health issues.  Legally, minors cannot sign such forms;  but the health aspect of it is also worth noting.  As body piercing carries much higher and more frequent risks of infection than tattoos, in signing these health waivers the teenager is rarely aware of how significant these risk factors actually are.  While the risk of infection from body piercing is high enough in general, it can become even more so depending on the location of the piercing.  Having piercings done in areas that are normally exposed to saliva, or airborne dirt, is simply asking for trouble.  Yet piercing artists are often more concerned about making money than they are about the potential health repercussions to their young clients.

In addition to these factors, there is also the factor of social stigma.  While youngsters may be accurate in assuming that acquiring body piercings will impress their teenage or other immature friends, it is not likely that it will impress anyone else.  Even if they withstand parental objections, and ignore the dismay of school staff and employers, they have yet to see that body piercings generally do not go over very well in “the real world.”

Whether one is most concerned with the potential health risks of body piercing, or the general consensus of the American population, body piercing has a long way to go before it is considered an acceptable practice.  Tattoos carry some degree of valid purpose;  in the opinion of  most American adults, body piercing has no value other than for its owner to appear less than respectable.

There are nearly as many reasons for getting a tattoo as there are people who have them.  Each person has his or her own particular reason;  it may be a common reason or it may be unique, but it is nonetheless individual.

People who get a tattoo on impulse or a dare, while intoxicated, or to please someone else, are the ones who are usually less satisfied with the results.  Even while holding it out as a spur-of-the-moment mistake, a person who acquires a tattoo under these circumstances are rarely happy with having it on a longterm basis.  Unfortunately, these types of situations do comprise a fair percentage of the number of people who get tattoos–  and later regret it.  Most people who get tattoos primarily  as a means of rebellion are also dissatisfied in the long-run;  as they grow out of feeling the need to rebel, they grow out of enjoying the symbols of it.

For those who make an informed decision about getting a tattoo, whether they acknowledge it or not they are usually in either of two categories:  those who are identifying with a group, or those who are identifying themselves as individuals.  Both are using tattoos as a means of self-expression.  On the extreme end of the spectrum are inmates who belong to such groups as “the Aryan Brotherhood.”  A tattoo shows both members and non-members alike what group the inmate belongs to.  These tattoo designs are of various codes and other oddities which they assume people who are not likewise affiliated will not understand.  Most inner-city gangs also have coded tattoo designs for the same reason.  In these types of instances, tattoos serve a dual-purpose:  they are a means of bonding a person to a particular group, and they are a means of separating oneself from those who are outside of that group.

Some people get a tattoo simply because they want to have one.  Other than not putting much careful thought into its longterm implications, nor being very selective about what particular design they want, this is not necessarily negative.  For many, simply liking artwork on one’s skin is reason enough to visit a local tattoo studio, hand over a relatively-large sum of money, and have something etched into one’s skin that is intended to remain there for the rest of one’s life.  The most intricate design or the most plain one can be a matter of speaking to the entire world, or something which one chooses to keep solely to oneself.

Others use this form of self-expression in a manner similar to what generations past used to do with t-shirts:  to show the world what they wish to say.  They choose wording, or designs which symbolize something that is meaningful to them.  You can see everything from American flags and crosses to the names of who they love, and, occasionally, wording which pushes the limits of the First Amendment.  In the past, people wore what they believed, stood for, and cared about on their shirts;  these days tattoos often serve the same purpose.

Many people use tattoos as memorials.  Tattoos can be designed for remembrance of a deceased loved one, of course, but they can also be designed for the purpose of keeping in mind other places or situations which a person does not wish to forget.  When there is someone or something that you wish to hold close to your heart, a tattoo can be a beautiful way of doing it. Photographs and other souvenirs are not permanent–  tattoos are.

Why do people get tattoos?  The reasons are as varied as there are individuals.  Whether you yourself have a tattoo or not, if you know someone who does, it is important to realize that you do not know what that person’s reasons are, unless he or she decides to tell you.

Tattoos are a hot topic today.  People get tattoos for many reasons.  Millions of styles have been applied and continue to be created.  But tattoos aren’t a new thing.  They’ve been around for ages.

No one can really say when the history of tattoos began.  The oldest known tattoo was discovered in 1991.  It was found on a mummy known as Oetzi, an Iceman dated to be at least 5300 years old.  His tattoos consist of horizontal and vertical lines.  There is some debate as to why the tattoos are there.

The most common idea is that the tattoos were done for medicinal purposes.  Oetzi’s fifty-seven tattoos are located over various joints on the body.  The thought is that the tattoos were made while a form of acupuncture was administered to relieve painful joints.  Today, the same sites are used for acupuncture.  Other ideas range from social status and ritual markings to tribal marks or simple preference.

Prior to finding Oetzi, the Russians excavated bodies that were determined to be over 2400 years of age.  These mummies were found in the Altai Mountains of Siberia.  Instead of lines, their tattoos are in the form of animals both real and imaginary.  Many of these tattoos are thought to be decorative only while others appear to be a symbol of status rank.

The Egyptians have one of the most well known cultures for tattoos.  Dating back to 2100 BC, discovered mummies have been found to be covered in various tattoos.  Women flaunted tattoo designs that were restricted to women only.  These designs were mostly a series of lines and dots around the body.  Tattoos among the Egyptians are thought to have been forms of ritual markings.

In Japan, tattoos were first used on clay figures.  These human shaped figures represented a deceased individual and were found in the tombs of the person they resembled.  The tattoos were carved or painted on the faces of the figures.  It is thought that these markings have religious or magical significance.  The figures have been found in tombs that have been dated from 3,000 BC.

Japan’s first documented tattoo is from 297 AD and has been shown to be for decorative purposes only. Tattoo artists were known as the “Horis” in Japan. The Horis were acknowledged as masters and eventually created the full body suit tattoo.

Many years later, tattoos were made widely popular by the circus.  Acts are performed by people completely covered in tattoos.  Individuals are renowned simply for their number of tattoos.  Patrons of the circus are enamored by the extravagant and colorful tattoos of circus performers resulting in an increased number of tattoos across the world.

Tattoos have been found in history all over the world.  They have been determined to be a representation of a variety of things such as social status, religion and many times just for decoration.  Found on men and women alike, tattoos are discovered in every shape, size and color pattern imaginable.  Whether they’ve been found to be something that was once held sacred or they’re for decoration only, tattoos have been around for ages and will continue to be around for ages to come.

As with most things in life, changing times signals new improvements, and tattoos are not an exception.  The process itself has come a long way since people had no choice but to use crude homemade instruments to force equally-crude variations of ink into their skins.  People these days also do not need to resort to regular needles and either ashes or bottles of India ink, because most have clean, sterile tattoo studios and licensed, reputable artists readily available.  For a practice that has been around nearly since the beginning of time, such factors as health, safety, and procedure are relatively modern.

Since South Carolina lifted its ban against tattooing in 2004, which required eleven years of failed attempts before its eventual success, the state of Oklahoma remained the sole hold-out in banning tattoos until that ban also was finally lifted at the end of 2006.  Currently, tattooing is legal in all states of the United States, each with its own set of laws, some of which are governed by the state itself, others which have left the matter in the hands of city or other local governments.

Laws and regulations covering tattooing are varied on a state by state basis.  If you wish to get a tattoo, or if you’re considering going into the tattoo business yourself, it is wise to familiarize yourself with what is required in the state where you live.  One key point is that if you have received a tattoo license in one state, it is not necessarily valid in another state. An unusual exception to state laws is that it is becoming a common practice for parents to take their teenagers to a nearby state where tattooing minors is legal with parental consent, even though they reside in a state where it cannot be done.  Crossing state borders in order to get a tattoo may appear extreme, but it happens quite frequently.  However, this has produced difficulties in some instances where school districts have implemented policies forbidding their students from having visible tattoos.

As tattoos as a basic form of artwork and self-expression have expanded, so has another aspect of tattooing which has its roots in ancient history but until quite recently was not widespread in modern times.  Many women, the famous and the average alike, are now opting for tattoos as a form of permanent cosmetics.  No longer needing to apply such things as eyeliner or lipstick on a daily basis, a more permanent form of these previously-temporary cosmetics are made by tattooing in a manner quite similar to the more well-known types of tattoos.  Getting these types of tattoos not only requires careful consideration on the part of the client, but skill and professionalism on the part of the artist.

Especially since HIV and AIDS became a life-threatening risk, reputable tattoo artists have become even more conscientious in taking health precautions for both their own and their customers’ sake.  In addition to keeping their studios clean in general, there is a large focus on such practices as using disposable tattooing needles, throwing away unused inks, and wearing gloves.  Prior to this problem, while most artists did take a reasonable amount of care during tattoo procedures, it was not nearly as important as it is today.  While keeping tattoo studios under the jurisdiction of the state, city, or county Board of Health may be an intense measure, it is good to know that reputable tattoo artists consider it to be important, necessary, and worthwhile.