Laura Molloy discusses the history of tattooing and their rise in popularity in contemporary society.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, a tattoo is defined as “a permanent design made on the skin by making small holes in it with a needle and filling them with coloured ink”.
Tattoos were first discovered in the form of clay figurines. These figurines had each been face painted or sometimes engraved to represent tattoo marks. The oldest of these were discovered in tombs in Japan, which dates back to 5000 BCE or older.
This discovery was the earliest form of tattoo art but did not represent actual tattoos that humans had. The earliest known tattoo on human skin has been dated from around 3300 BCE, which was found persevered on a man’s mummified skin from the Bronze Age.
Tattoos were often used as a form of distinction. In different cultures, the art of tattooing was used to mark achievement. These achievements included the transition from youth to adulthood, belonging to different groups, and so on.They could also be used to symbolise aspects of life such as one's marital status, power, class, and age.
In recent years, the reasoning for getting a tattoo tends to differ among each individual. Many get tattoos as a form of self expression. The choice of design greatly varies, but they usually connect to a passion, the person’s name, or anything that is viewed as significant.
Another reason is commemoration. After reaching a big milestone or life event, some choose to mark the event with a tattoo. These could include things such as the name of a child after their birth, or some other life event that holds a significant amount of meaning.
However, what a tattoo symbolises isn’t always optimistic. Tattoos are frequently used to remember a loved one that has passed. In many cases, tattoos can also be used to address trauma. For example, victims of sexual assault might get a tattoo of Medusa to symbolise them reclaiming their strength and power.
For these reasons, tattoos have the power to create a sense of unity. They belong to an art form that can often reveal something about a person without ever having to speak to them.
Image Credit: Lorna Corroon, @lorna.tattoos
However, tattoos don’t always carry deep personal meaning. In modern times, many have shifted away from the origins of the art form. As mentioned earlier, tattoos in their earliest forms often carried specific symbolism, and were designed with a specific purpose in mind. Yet, it is often the case for people in today's age to get tattoos simply for the aesthetic value they provide.
This shift also explains the rise in popularity of temporary tattoos. It is not uncommon now for young people in particular to use temporary tattoos for themed parties and events. It is understandable to not want to commit to a permanent design on your skin, but with the rise of people getting tattoos for merely aesthetic reasons, it does raise the question as to if the art form is losing its original meaning.
When you get a tattoo today, it can be met with very mixed reactions. From having spoken to friends with multiple tattoos, it seems you can often feel pressure to justify your tattoos. Unless your tattoo is for the purpose of commemoration, or something else that is deeply meaningful, it can be viewed as juvenile and irresponsible.
There is also much debate about tattoos and their place in the workforce, and if they should have one at all. Regardless of their meaning, tattoos are still regarded by many as unprofessional and inappropriate in work settings, but should tattoos need to be covered up? At the end of the day, tattoos are a permanent feature, and one that a person has chosen to get. People deserve to have their personal choices respected, especially when it comes to their own body. Tattoos are an important form of creative and personal expression, and should be respected as such by employers.
Whether you chose to get a tattoo for self expression or purely for aesthetic value, your tattoo still belongs to a very beautiful artistic tradition - an art form that was rooted in culture and used as a source of identification. In our modern era, it is also an art form rooted in freedom and self-expression. It is an undeniable positive shift in the art and one that should be preserved.