History of Tattoos Essay

In conclusion, people have differing opinions about tattoos. "Tattoos: The Ultimate In Expression" is the better supported article

You would be hard pressed to find many women with tattoos during the 19th and 20th centuries, but one women pushed through the skepticism and public views to become America’s “first tattooed lady.” Nora Hildebrandt was the daughter of the first professional tattoo artist in America, Martin Hildebrant, so it figures that she would eventually follow in her father’s footsteps and develop a fascination with tattoos. Nora began showing off her tattoos in 1882 at the age of 32. Her primary mode of displaying the 365 tattoos that covered her body from neck to toe was to go on tour with Barnum & Bailey Circus (Pednaud, 2014). She toured with the well-known circus throughout the 1890’s, until she was eventually out done by another tattooed woman and consequently faded into time. While Nora might have made tattooed women a grand attraction at circuses, she was just the beginning.

Tattoos are stigmatized as aggressive and deviant because it was once commonly known among “out group”, outlaws, criminals, bikers, prisoners, and etc., (Heywood,Patrick, Smith, Pitts, Richters, Shelley, (n.d)). People who obtain tattoos are more perceived negatively towards tattooed figures than that of non-tattooed adults. Women with tattoos are more negatively looked upon than men. There is a type of control over people with tattoos and employment.

My senior project was over the History of Tattooing, I chose this as my topic because Tattoos really interest me with all the different styles and meanings behind them. Some things I already knew about Tattooing is a lot of tribes used tattoos to symbolize things, but I didn’t know what.

The rising popularity of tattoos and body piercing is more than just the latest fashion craze. This type of body art has been a part of this world for thousands of years. Tattoos and piercings have served as amulets, status symbols, declarations of love, signs of religious beliefs, adornments and even forms of punishment (Smithsonian.com). In the later years (1940 – 2000) tattoos and piercings were more common among teenagers and young adults, but now, people of all ages are expressing themselves through body art. To try and understand this rise in the desire to permanently mark ones self, we must first determine the origin and history of tattoos and piercings.

When the Egyptians extended their empire, tattooing extended as well to civilizations such as Crete, Greece, Persia, and Arabia. Later on in 2000BC this form of body art also reached china. With almost every culture influencing the practice of tattoo’s, the concept ranged from medical purposes, branding slaves to even determining the coming out of women. Examples include:

“The nicest people I have ever met are covered in tattoos, while the most judgment people that I have met are the once who don’t have tattoos” (Earl Dibbles). When someone sees a person with a bunch of tattoos, maybe the first thing that comes to their mind is Thug, stupid, thief, or maybe even crazy. Judging a person off of first feeling with tattoos can lead to false allegation and potentially hurt a person’s feelings. Tattoos have existed since the beginning of civilization and although widespread now, there are still misconceptions about them. I have come across many people with tattoos, especially my friend which is MMA fighter; his name is Nasratullah Akhunzada. He has a bunch of tattoos on his body. First of all, he loses his job cause of his tattoos

One in every five Americans have a tattoo. It is no longer surprising to see people with markings on their bodies. Many believed it is a form of self-expression. Even though some cultures or religions view tattoos as a negative thing, that does not stop people from getting them. To have a better understanding about tattoos we must go back and trace how it all began. From the tools, they used to the ink, it is incredible how tattooing has evolved over the years.

Tattoos have been dated back to 5000 BCE. Tattoos have played the role of being badges of honor, ceremonial markings, signs off social rank, forms of punishment, and of course ways for people to beautify themselves (The Cultural History of Tattoos). Over the past years, tattoos has increased and continues to increase significantly in popularity. According to statistics, 36% of American adults in the U.S. between the ages of 18-25 and 40% of American adults in the U.S. between the ages of 26-40 have at least one tattoo (Seth). While the trend of getting tattoos are increasing, the concerns of the employers starts to increase. People who have tattoos should not be discriminated because it is unethical, a form of self-expression, and art.

For as long as there have been people, there have been methods of distinction amongst them. Throughout the years we have discovered ways in which to express our beliefs, our ideals, and our passions. Tattooing has been one of forefront methods in expressing our humanity, or in certain cases, our lack there of. For so many, they have taken on many different representations, each with an equal level of significance. The importance found in the symbolism of tattoos and their cultural relevance has consistently been a trend found throughout history, religion, and art.

The tattoo is a very old form of body modification, but in spite of that there is still a certain rejection towards those who carry them in a visible area of the body, for some it disfigures what has been created in the image and likeness of God while for others associates this with convicts or gang members mainly because they were one of the first groups to use tattoos to differentiate themselves from the rest of society. But also it is true that there is a very limited understanding about this corporal modification that could be one of the reasons why it can not be appreciated as for how it should be. However, modern society reflects the current popularity of tattooing because it has acquired an entirely artistic meaning to a social expression and a way of identity.

In the late 1960s, the attitude towards tattooing changed. Much credit can be given to Lyle Tuttle. He is charming and interesting and knows how to use the media. He tattooed celebrities, mostly women. Magazines and television went to Lyle to get information about this ancient art form. Lyle Tuttle (born 1931) is a well-known American tattoo artist and historian of the medium, who has been tattooing since 1949. He was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, after having tattooed Janis Joplin and several other notable musicians and celebrities of the time.

The tattooing of criminals sustained through the Middle Ages and spread across Europe, making the social practice of marking bodies go hand-in-hand with delinquency, deviance and social outcasts. The practice of marking bodies was later used during the colonization projects in Africa and Asia, and like the branding of criminals, it was used as a means to exert ownership and power over the locals (Fisher, 2002). With such a dark history, how then did the act of tattooing become intended and commoditized?

A persons’ image is vital when meeting someone for the first time. Our peers, employers, family, superiors, even strangers that you walk past can automatically judge someone, and imagine how they present themselves to the world. Tattoos have been predominantly linked with a rebellious attitude and pictured on out of control stereotypes such as rock starts, bikers, sailors, and disobedient teenagers who want nothing more than to hack off their parents. With a new coming of age generation and a step into a more lenient and liberal society these types of patrons still participate in body art but so do doctors, lawyers, or just the run of the mill house mom. Tattoos signify religious beliefs, cultural influence, or each individual’s sole

There is a long list of cultures that utilised tattoos as a form of decoration and communication (Swami, 2011). That said, within some western societies, that historical connection to the tattoo is not that strong. However the art of tattooing has seen a steady growth of its popularity and acceptance, and since the early 1990s, that growth has accelerated dramatically (Caplan, 2000; Cash, 2011; DeMello, 2000; Swami, 2011). The current estimated incidence of tattooing amongst the populations of North America and Europe is approximately 25 percent (Laumann & Derick, 2006; Swami, 2011), with one researcher suggesting those rates could continue to increase to as much as 40 percent of the population (Anderson, 2006).