A little bit of history

The word "tattoo" comes from Tahitian word tatu and means "mark something". Tattoo beginnings reach ancient Egypt, Pharaoh Times and pyramids. Wall paintings from 2000 b.c. were discovered that show using tattoo technique and Egyptian mummies having signs of tattoo.

In ancient Greece tattoo was used to mark spies, Romans marked slaves and criminals. Tattoo had also great meaning in rituals and tradition. On Borneo women wore tattoos on forearms showing their individual skills. Tattoo around the wrists or fingers were to keep away the illnesses. Tattoo also was a symbol of belonging to the clan or society. For example Saxons had often tattooed their coat of arms.

Tattoo disappeared form western culture to be discovered once again in 1691 when sailor and explorer William Dampher brought to London Prince Giolo - very much tattooed Polynesian. In 1769 captain James Cook brought other Polynesian - Omaia. Sailors that took part in Cook expedition learned tattoo technique form local tribes. That time word "tattoo" became present in European languages. Success of the Omaia body art made tattoo popular around high class people (in smaller scale).

First electric tattoo machine was patented in States in 1891 by Samuel O'Reily. Thanks to it tattooing became more available and cheaper for everybody. Till those times tattooing was very long and painful process made manually. Around the tribes the most popular technique was pricking, some of them put the color into the scratches. In Polynesia and part of Malaysia pigment was put under the skin by puncture with the device that looked like little rakes. In Japan special needles fasten to the wooden holder are used. Thanks to this device very complicated, multi-color and covered the whole body patterns are made. In Tunisia pigment is sometimes put into the cuts made by knife and some Indian tribes use thorns.

When tattoo was identified with sailors and criminals, high class people started to resign. In the beginning of 20's tattooed people, other times admired, became the exhibits in the circuses and on the strange-shows. Tattoos became socially unacceptable and went underground. Picture of tattoo started to improve in the late 60?s, when pop-stars started to make them. In 80's and 90's tattoo became acceptable as a part of culture. Tattooists nowadays are seen as artists and have a big respect.

Tattoos nowadays are more as a fashion not the signs. We can meet people all over the world, from different classes, having hidden tattoo or in visible places. Tattoo became as an artistic form of expression.