Tattoos
Todays Presence of the Past
Tattoos
Todays Presence of the Past
Laureen Price
Editorial Design
Spring 2010
Introduction
5
Tattoo Instruments
6
Primitive
12
Japanese
20
Celtic
28
Sailor
34
3
Introduction
It seems like everyone has a tattoo these days. What used
to be the property of sailors, tribes, and outlaws is now a
popular body decoration for many people. And it’s not just
anchors, skulls, and battleships anymore — from school
emblems to Celtic designs to personalized symbols, people
have found many ways to express themselves with their
tattoos. Maybe you’ve thought about getting one. But be-
fore you head down to the nearest tattoo shop and roll up
your sleeve, there are a few things you need to know about
the design you may pick out to be permanently putting on
your body.
5
INSTRUMENTS
Early Tattooing Methods
An amazing variety of tattooing methods developed in differ- a small rake. The Maori people of New Zealand, who are
ent cultures. In North and South America, many Indian tribes world famous for their tattooing, applied their wood carving
routinely tattooed the body or the face by simple pricking, technique to tattooing. In the moko style of Maori tattooing,
and some tribes in California introduced color into scratches. shallow, colored grooves in distinctive, complex designs were
Many tribes of the Arctic and Subarctic, mostly Inuit, and some produced on the face and buttocks by striking a small bone-
people in eastern Siberia, made needle punctures through cutting tool (used for shaping wood) into the skin. After the
which a thread coated with pigment (usually soot) was drawn Europeans arrived in the 1700s, the Maori began using the
underneath the skin. In Polynesia and Micronesia, pigment metal that settlers brought for a more conventional style of
was pricked into the skin by tapping on a tool shaped like puncture tattooing.
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Electronic Tattoo Machines
Tattooing was revolutionized by Samuel O’Reilly’s invention
of the electric tattoo machine during the last decade of the
19th century. The time required to complete a design went
from hours to minutes, moving the art away from personally
conceived, hand picked designs towards stock choices that
were displayed like art on the walls of the tattoo parlor. Much
of this tattooing was also conducted in the back of beer halls
and barbershops.
The years ahead would see vast improvements in O’Reilly’s
machine, plus the establishment of tattoo equipment manu-
facturing companies. This machine was the prototype for the
tattoo gun that is the standard of the industry today. In the
1920’s and 30’s the styling of tattoos adapted to include
comic strip characters like Mickey Mouse and Felix the Cat,
Lindbergh’s crossing, stars and starlets of the silver screen
and phrases that were popularized in the press. Cosmetic
tattooing also originated during this time period. Many artists
offering specialties such as moles and beauty marks rosy
cheeks, permanent eyeliner and red lips to both male and
female customers.
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PRIMITIVE
Skin was the first canvas for art. Sticks and other pointy ob-
jects were the first paintbrushes. Tattooing was first a form of
scarification. This involved wounding oneself and packing dirt
or ashes into the scrape or cut to discolor it permanently. It
is believed that prehistoric man cut holes in his skin, charred
sticks in the fire, let them cool and then applied the black sub-
stance to the wound to create tribal markings.
As tattooing involved pain, blood and fire, primitive man be-
lieved the process released sacred life forces. The letting of
blood was also associated with a sacrifice to the Gods. The
symbol or animal form of the tattoo was thought to bring one
protection from attack from that very same animal.
Tattoos were also used to bring one’s soul in alignment with
God’s purpose, increase virility and fertility, ensure the pres-
ervation of the body after the death and delineate hierarchies
and roles within tribes. For instance, a tribal chieftain would
have a very different tattoo than the individual in the tribe
who was thought to bring them all bad luck.
As skin does not preserve that well there is very archeo-
logical evidence that prehistoric people engaged in tat-
tooing, although a few Paleolithic artifacts that have been
discovered seem to suggest that the art of tattooing is as old
as mankind.
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Primitive peoples also used tattoos to create what are called jected color into the scratches. Some northern tribes living
clan markings. These marking came in handy during battle in and around the Arctic Circle (mostly Inuit) made punctures
to identify foe from friend. These tattoos also guaranteed that with a needle and ran a thread coated with soot through the
you would be able to greet your friends again in heaven, after skin. The South Pacific community would tap pigment into the
you had passed away. pricked skin using a small rake-like instrument.
Family and marriage tattoos were also clan markings that In New Zealand, the Maori would treat the body like a piece
enabled spouses who were separated in death to find each of wood in order to make their world-famous moko style tat-
other again in the afterworld. A good example of this is the toos. Using a small bone-cutting tool, they would carve intri-
ancient Ainu tribe who believed that a bride without a tattoo cate shallow grooves on the face and buttocks, and infuse
would go straight to Gehenna—their version of hell. them with color. Thanks to trading with Europeans, they were
able to make the method more efficient by using metal tools
In the Americas, native tribes used simple pricking to tattoo instead of bone.
their bodies or faces. In California some native groups in-
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A “moko”, meaning to strike or tap, is the long-standing art with their tattooing rituals. Usually the person being tattooed
form of Maori tattooing. This art form has been practiced for is separated from others, smudged, isolated from the opposite
over a thousand years, and has withstood time and coloni- sex or fed a special diet.
zation. It was used as a form of identification with regards
to rank, genealogy, tribal history, eligibility to marry, beauty From primitive times to now, Hawaiians celebrate specific tat-
and virility. Moko designs were finely chiseled into the skin. too gods. The designs associated with each God are locked
Maori women were traditionally only allowed to be tattooed away in the temples and priests conduct tattooing. Each tat-
on their lips, around the chin, and sometimes the nostrils. A tooing session begins with a prayer to tattoo gods that im-
woman with full blue lips was seen as very beautiful. plores that the operation goes well and that the designs be
gorgeous in the end.
Primitive people also tattooed their adolescents as a rite of
passage. The theory was that if a young boy couldn’t take the
pain of a tattoo at a young age, then he would be useless at
battle. Similarly, if a young girl couldn’t handle the pain of a
tattoo, she would not be able to handle the pain of childbirth.
Many of these children ended up with a tattoo anyway, that
would label them as an outcast of the tribe.
Totem animals are also another common motif in primitive tat-
toos. Totem animals such as snakes, frogs, butterflies wolves
or bears signified that the individual has taken on the physical
prowess of that animal. In some cultures, the totem animal is
thought to have a special spiritual relationship with the bearer
of tattoo and acts as a spirit guide. From the South Pacific to
the South America, primitive people have customs involved
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JAPANESE
The earliest evidence of tattooing in Japan is found in the form great influence on, the development of the art of tattooing. 20th Century Japan
of clay figurines which have faces painted or engraved to rep- Japanese tattoo artists were usually also Ukiyoe woodblock
In 1936, when fighting broke out in China, almost all the men
resent tattoo marks. the oldest figurines of this kind have been artists, who simply exchanged their wood carving blades for
were drafted into the army. People with tattoos were thought
recovered from tombs dated 3,000 BC or older, and many long, sharp needles. This long process has come to produce
to be discipline problems, so they weren’t drafted due to tat-
other such figurines have been found in tombs dating from what is known as the uniquely-Japanese traditional tattoo art
toos still being considered illegal. Tattooists had to work in
the second and third millennia BC. These figurines served as form, called Horimono.
secret. After WWII, General MacArthur liberalized the Japa-
stand-ins for living individuals who symbolically accompanied
nese laws, and tattooing became legal again. But the tattoo
the dead on their journey into the unknown, and it is believed
artists continued to work privately by appointment, and this
that the tattoo marks had religious or magical significance. 18th Century Japan tradition continues today.
The first written record of Japanese tattooing is found in a
Tattooing contnued to flourish for awhile, but because of the
Chinese dynastic history compiled in 297 AD.
association between tattooing and criminal activity, tattooing
At this time, the Japanese were interested in the art mostly was outlawed on the grounds that it was “deleterious to public
for its decorative attributes, as opposed to magical ones. The morals.”
classic Japanese tattoo, is a full body suit. The horis—the
Despite it being illegal, tattooing continued to thrive among
Japanese tattoo artists—were the undisputed masters. Their
firemen, laborers and others considered to be at the lower
use of colors, perspective, and imaginative designs gave the
end of the social scale. Tattoos were favored by a gang
practice a whole new angle.
called the Yakuza, outlaws, and other misfits. The Yakuza
Tattooing finally reached its height in Japan in the 18th cen- felt that because tattooing was painful, it was a proof of
tury. Pictorial tattooing flourished during the eighteenth cen- courage; because it was permanent, it was evidence of life- This large mastepiece is
tury in connection with the popular culture of Edo, as Tokyo long loyalty to the group; and because it was illegal, it made covered in bright colors and
intricate designs, making it a
was then called. Images from traditional watercolor paintings, them outlaws forever.
perfect example of Japanese
woodcuts, and picture books were the basis of the designs. style tattooing.
The development of the wood block print parallels, and had
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Popular Japanese Tattoo Designs to capture the essence of cherry blossoms. In fact, in many
in Today’s Society ways Samurai Cherry Blossom thought of as a sign of life. The
KOI FISH
cherry blossom comes out early in the year, when it’s cold.
It is very beautiful, but short-lived and will soon fall from the
Today,
Koi fish are a very big part of the Japanese psyche for thou-
sands of years. Even today there is hardly a temple, there is
tree. Samurai compared their lives to the flower like, to live life
each day as if it were your last, without fear of death. Many
is a good day
a small pond filled with koi fish, these majestic. The original
Lore probably came from China, but has applied for many
have heard the popular wisdom that a samurai would say to
himself quietly as he woke in the morning, “today, is a good
to die.
thousands of years, the Japanese believe that it is forever. In day to die.” This was not a death wish, but a wish to live life to
any case, I think the koi fish for a fish to be very strong and the fullest. This is the symbolism of the cherry blossom tattoo,
independent. History tells us that these fish swim against the which has made it very popular.
current (and hence the reason often is) a spray pattern, and if
they are strong enough and has sufficient power to last most
of the port, and if passed, will a dragon and always travel in
the sky. The symbolism of most Japanese is a strength, pow-
er and loyalty to him. This is something that works well with
many women today who want to participate and that their
power and independence.
C HERRY BLOSSOMS
The cherry blossom has always been considered very impor-
tant and deeply symbolic of flowers for the Japanese. In real-
ity it is probably one of the most important symbols of culture.
The Samurai Warriors used to write poems and dedicated art
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The colors on this tattoo
show the vibrancy of the
cherry blossom in its early
bloom.
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CELTIC
The Celts were a tribal people who moved across western
Europe in times around 1200 and 700 B.C. they reached the
British Isles around 400 B.C. and most of what has survived
from their culture is in the areas now known as Ireland, Wales
and Scotland.
Celtic culture was full of body art. Permanent body painting
was done with woad, which left a blue design on the skin.
Spirals are very common, and they can be single, doubled
or tripled. Knot-work is probably the most recognized form
of Celtic art, with lines forming complex braids which then
weave across themselves. These symbolize the connection of
all life. Step or key patterns, like those found in early labyrinth
designs, are seen both in simple borders and full complex
mazes. Much in the way that labyrinths are walked, these
designs are symbolic of the various paths that life’s journey
can take. Before the sixth century, these ancient peoples often
tattooed or painted their faces and bodies to protect them
from evil spirits and ensure victory in battle. Viking invaders
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eventually appropriated many of the Celtic designs into their In the 1980’s, Celtic tattoos became very popular, probably
own culture, often adding totem animals into the interlacing as a result of the popularity of Wiccan and pagan religions
designs. among young people. Most modern Celtic designs are sourced
from ancient scrolls called the Irish Illuminated Manuscripts,
Roman documents also indicate that ancient British and Scot- which were created during the sixth and seventh centuries. As
tish peoples may have also tattooed themselves before enter- before that the Celts did not keep written records, designs are
ing into battle. Ancient stones from Gaul also show leaders also found in ancient stone and metal work.
with tattooed faces. These tattoos were created from woad, a
plant that produces blue dye. A body of a Pict found frozen Celtic knots are “zoomorphic” meaning that each strand of
in the permafrost in Siberia indicated that these pre-Celtic the design connects or spirals into another strand. Often these
peoples tattooed using puncture marks to create the forms designs will graphically terminate in images of the feet, heads
and outlines of animals using woad as the dye. and tails of animals and other natural symbols. These animals
were emblematic of different Celtic tribes and nationalities.
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SAILOR
When European explorers first arrived in the New World, they
discovered that tattooing was a large part of the stone-age
culture practiced by Native Americans. Common among most
tribes were geometric patterns and dots that were applied to
celebrate the individual’s passage into puberty. Many tribes,
including the Sioux Indians believed that a tattoo was neces-
sary in order to gain passage into the other world. After an
almost two thousand year absence from popular culture, the
phenomena of tattooing re-emerged after explorers brought
tales of it home after they had sighted examples of it in the
North and South Americas.
Tattooing was also very popular among sailors who, from the
1600’s to the 1940’s. Usually the designs were of a very basic
style that only uses a minimum amount of details making the
tattoos look quite two dimensional and flat. This often gives a
cartoonish feeling and typical motifs would be flowers, hearts,
mermaids, ships, anchors, snakes, birds, and names.
Tattooing a chicken on one foot and a pig on the other was be-
lieved to protect them from death by drowning. During World
War II, the big symbol that protected sailors from drowning
were twin propellers (one tattooed on each buttock) meant to
symbolically propel you to the shore.
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Images of bluebirds inked on the chest were often used to and stockings tattooed on the sailor’s body meant that he had
mark the number of miles a sailor had spent a sea. Each been on more than one cruise. Chatham Square in New York
bluebird represented 5,000 miles logged at sea. If a sailor City became the epic-center for tattoos in pre-civil war days in
had sailed south past the equator he sometimes got a picture the United States. Sailors, gang members and low-lifes (who
of Neptune tattooed n his leg. If he crossed the international often boasted elaborate tattoos on their torsos and forearms)
dateline, a sailor owned the right to wear a tattoo of a drag- frequented this area known for its beer halls and sex parlors.
on. Also ‘hold & fast’ on the knuckles on both hands should in Sailors passed the long hours at sea “pricking” designs into
courage the sailor to better lace the ropes A hula girl tattoo their own skin or that of their mates. These designs were a
meant the sailor had been to Honolulu. Female underwear mix of patriotic and protective images. Often gunpowder
38 39
was mixed into the ink, as gunpowder was though to possess
magical powers of longevity and protection. The seamen of
that day were familiar with tattoos because of their extensive
travel. They had seen the dragons of the China, the Christian
charms and evil eyes of the people and the highly detailed
designs of Edo and Yokohama worn by the citizens of Japan.
Sailors bearing these exotic designs, passed through the port
of New York everyday, greatly influencing and broadening
the very concept of “tattoo” itself.
With the outbreak of the Civil War, thousands of men from
New York were conscripted into the Union Army. The demand
for patriotic designs grew tremendously during that war and
thousands of individuals were tattooed on the battlefield. Fa-
vorite designs often included depictions of major battles com-
plete with sky and landscape.
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