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.

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.

While tattoos have been gaining a widespread appeal and acceptance during the last couple of decades, they are still more popular with some people than with others.  No longer seen as something which is limited to small segments of the population, nevertheless they are still not embraced by everybody.  For many, they are great forms of self-expression;  to others, they are as taboo as they’ve always been.  Like most aspects of American life, it’s often a matter of one likes them very much or one dislikes them intensely;  there is rarely any middle ground.  While preferences toward specific styles of tattoos differ very much between individual persons, the opinions on them rarely change.

One group which has grown fond of tattoos is the younger generation.  This is so much true that these days most areas which have colleges and universities also have at least one tattoo studio nearby.  For many in the younger crowd, visiting the tattoo studio is as much a social experience as it is about the artwork.  Comparing notes about which designs they like, the costs, and even the tattooing process itself is often done with one or more friends.  The popularity of tattoos amongst young people also extends to high schoolers, many of whom are not old enough to legally acquire a tattoo.  Some get around this by dangerously attempting their own tattoos with homemade equipment;  others go to nearby states where it is legal for artists to tattoo minors if they have their parent’s presence and consent.

On the opposite end of the spectrum you will find members of the older generation who sometimes use tattoos to either recapture or attempt to hold onto their youth.  It’s questionable as to whether those in this category do so for the artwork itself, or more for the environment of the tattoo studio, as most studios are clearly designed for the younger generation.  You can find quite a few older folks leafing through books of tattoo stencils alongside the younger crowd who are twenty or thirty years younger than themselves.  This type of situation is at its oddest when the tattoo studio also doubles as a piercing parlor.

Certain groups also go for tattoos.  While the practice used to be considered the arena of bikers and others of that element, they still hold quite a monopoly on the subject.  It is unlikely that you will ever find someone whose primary concern in life is his motorcycle who does not hold to the age-old tradition of acquiring tattoos to symbolize his number-one passion.  The person may have one tattoo or many;  he may have done the artwork himself with a homemade machine or even plain needles, or he may have spent a considerable amount of money to have his tattoos done professionally;  but whatever form the tattoos take, it is almost guaranteed that he will have them.

People who have spent time in jail or prison also have the common factor of tattoos.  While these tattoos are almost always recognizable as being crude replicas of art, this fact is mostly due to the tattoos being done by such unsanitary means as using cigarette ashes instead of tattoo ink and whatever may be handy instead of sterile professional tattoo needles.  For anyone who is at all familiar with tattoos, it is not difficult to recognize the difference between one which was done by a licensed tattoo artist and one which someone did on himself while incarcerated.

These days you can find tattoos on every segment of the American population, nearly everywhere in America.  While young adults, convicts and bikers are usually most noticeable, tattoos show up or are hidden on everyone from businessmen to farmers to housewives.  They have become a part of American life.

To many people, tattoos are exotic and daring things to get into.  It’s such a huge decision as the design, whatever it may be, will be permanent. Not only might this seem daunting but the actual process of getting a tattoo can be frightening to those who have never experienced it.

Most people know that tattoos are created with a needle that delivers ink into the skin by the use of a special tattoo gun or machine.  Beyond that, many are clueless as to how the procedure might actually carry on.  It is important to realize that every tattoo artist and parlor varies in their techniques.

The first thing to be prepared for is choosing a design.  If you have a copy of something in particular, be prepared to discuss it with your tattoo artist.  He or she may be able to make recommendations to make the image look its best on your skin.

If you do not already have a design, the tattoo artist can assist you.  The design will depend on where you want the tattoo on your body and if you prefer all one color or multiple colors. The tattoo artist can assist with making decisions based on your personality, size preference for that tattoo and the aesthetics of the design.

Once the design has been decided upon, the tattoo artist creates a stencil.  This stencil is laid out on the skin and traced.  Some artists will draw the stencil straight on the skin freehanded.  The general design can be visualized at this point on the skin.

When the design is decided upon, the tattoo process begins.  This is where things can start to change a bit.  Depending on the location where the tattoo will end up, the customer is typically seated in a position as comfortable as possible to make for easy access to the skin by the tattoo artist.  Obviously the sitting position will vary accordingly.

The time frame is another variance.  As is easily guessed extravagant, intricate and very large tattoos will take a longer amount of time than a smaller, simpler design.  Tattoos that are excessively large, such as designs covering the entire back often require repeat visits to the tattoo parlor.

Generally, for an easy and small tattoo of one color, one can typically expect to it to take about an hour or less for the design.  Some can take as little as thirty minutes.  If there are a lot of color changes or intricacies the amount of time will increase.

Price can vary depending the geographical location of the tattoo parlor.  Other factors that are reflected in the price include the size of the tattoo, difficulty and color variations.  Many parlors charge by the hour with a general range of between $40 – $150 per hour, again depending on location and the design.  For very large tattoos, prices might change accordingly switching from a per-hour fee to a set fee for the entire process.

Once the design is finished, expect to be taught how to care for the tattoo afterwards.  It may be dressed in a bandage that will need proper care for the days following.  The tattoo artist will discuss all after care instructions with the customer prior to letting them leave the parlor.

Getting a tattoo can seem a lot less daunting when you know what to expect.  Getting to know your tattoo artist can help one feel more at ease with the whole procedure.  Meeting the staff before hand might also go along way to ensure comfort with those working around you.