| What are Tattoos |
EasyNews, UseNet made Ea .. |
| ::darkshadows:: (blood@thirsty.net) |
2008/05/31 20:45 |
What are Tattoos and Where Did They Originate?
Whether they are on arms, legs, ankles or buttocks, tattoos are
painted all over our bodies by injecting ink into our skin.
A needle attached to a hand-held tool injects ink into the cells of
the dermis-a section of our skin that keeps tattoos from fading and
stretching. The tool moves the needle up and down at a rate of several
hundred vibrations per minute and penetrates the skin by about one
millimeter. The ink that is left in the skin after the injection
process is the tattoo.
Decorating our bodies with tattoos is a popular fad among many people.
The word, tattoo originates from the Tahitian word tattau, which means
"to mark" and was first mentioned in explorer James Cook's records
from his 1769 expedition to the South Pacific. However, some
scientists believe that the earliest known evidence of tattooing dates
back to markings found on the skin of the Iceman, a mummified human
body that dates as far back as 3300 B.C.
More widely recognized are tattoos found on Egyptian and Nubian
mummies dating from about 2000 B.C. Classical authors mention the use
of tattoos in connection with Greeks, ancient Germans, Gauls,
Thracians and ancient Britons.
Tattooing was rediscovered by Europeans when they came into contact
with Polynesians and American Indians through their explorations.
Because tattoos were considered so exotic in European and U.S.
societies, tattooed Indians and Polynesians amazed crowds at circuses
and fairs during the 18th and 19th centuries.
The practice of tattooing has different meanings to various cultures.
Decoration was the most common motive for tattooing and that still
holds true today.
In some cultures, tattoos served as identification of the wearer's
rank or status within a group. For instance, the early Romans tattooed
slaves and criminals. Tahitian tattoos served as rites of passage,
telling the history of the wearer's life.
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