| Man had always used different ways to express his | | | | use tattoos to mark their prisoners. This practice is still |
| feelings and inner personality. This expression is pretty | | | | used in Rome and many other places. |
| much visible in the way a person dresses and the | | | | In Samoan Islands, tattoo is also a part of ancient |
| things he or she wears. For instance, most people like | | | | tradition. It symbolizes the social standing of a person. |
| wearing military t-shirts because they symbolize | | | | The chief of the tribe is usually the one with heaviest |
| courage, bravery and strength. Although a military | | | | tattooing. A proper ceremony is held in which younger |
| t-shirt is something of a generic nature, there are many | | | | chiefs get their tattoos to indicate that they have |
| personalized ways of showing off individuality and | | | | reached puberty. The marks are proudly carried as a |
| personality. One of the ways that have been around | | | | symbol of their dedication to the culture. |
| for ages is the art of tattooing. | | | | Tattooing is considered a very important part of New |
| For a long time, it was believed that tattoos emerged | | | | Zealand's culture. Moko art is a very prime example of |
| from Egypt as mummies of several pharaohs | | | | the skills and precision they have gained along with |
| indicated the marks of tattoos in several places. | | | | time. People used carving techniques for this purpose. |
| However, a 5300 year old mummy of Otzi the Iceman | | | | The Indonesian Borneo tribe still uses its age old |
| also had tattoo markings on his body. This proves that | | | | technique of making marks on the face and body. |
| tattooing has been an art since the prehistoric era. The | | | | Their designs are very popular in the western world |
| purpose behind those tattoos remains uncertain. | | | | and many people prefer the tribal art designs which |
| Another prehistoric body discovered in Russia shows | | | | actually are of Borneo origin. Like Borneo, there are |
| a significant amount of body prints depicting magical | | | | several tribes in Africa which have a tradition of body |
| and mythical creatures and real animals. A number of | | | | art and design. However, because of their dark skin |
| such mummies were later discovered from the same | | | | color, these people prefer scarification rather than |
| place, all of which had a good amount of such tattoos | | | | paint. |
| around their bodies. | | | | This ancient art is said to have entered the Modern |
| As the Egyptian empire spread wider, the tattoo | | | | western world along with the sailors and prisoners |
| tradition and art started to go further and further. | | | | brought to England by Captain Cook. It is hard to tell |
| However, in India, henna was already used to make | | | | whether it spread to America through the British or |
| markings on the body. These marking were just for | | | | from Latin America. The very first tattoo shop was |
| beautification purpose. In Greek, tattooing is said to | | | | opened n New York in 1846, and later, the electric |
| have been used for a real purpose for the first time | | | | tattooing machine took over. Since then, it is constantly |
| as spies were marked with identification marks and | | | | gained popularity in those countries. |
| secret codes. On the other hand, Romans began to | | | | |