Tattoos and Piercings

Ancient Human History

Tattoos and piercings are a part of ancient human history. Both methods of body decoration have been used for centuries either as artistic expression of the self as they are now or, more commonly, as a way for tribal peoples to denote social status, express some religious significance, and denote one's marital status. Although tattoo designs have most certainly evolved over the ages and piercing methods have become more sanitary and safe, neither of them are anything new.

Tribal tattoos are an obvious throwback to the roots of tattooing, with different designs and styles originating from different parts of the world, and many of the cultures that practiced tattooing also practiced body piercing. Tribal piercing was quite different than the body piercing we practice today, but many of today's piercing styles are direct descendants of tribal styles.

Evolution

How did tattoos and piercings evolve from being solely the activities of tribal peoples into a part of modern culture? It is difficult to say for sure, but many claim that sailor William Dampher was largely responsible for re-introducing the art of tattooing to the western world. Proverbs.com claims that Dampher brought Prince Giolo to London. A Polynesian prince who came to be known as the "Painted Prince," he was put on exhibition. The Painted Prince was a huge hit in London and did return the concept of tattooing to London, but it did not inspire the general populace to run out and start getting inked. That wouldn't happen for about another hundred years.

In the late 1700's, the exploits of Captain Cook were among the most popular stories told in London. After one expedition to the South Seas, Cook returned with a Polynesian named Omai. Like the Painted Prince before him, Omai was also a huge hit in London. This time tattooing caught on as British aristocrats began getting small tattoos on the sly. Tattooing became a bit of a fad, but it was still relatively unattainable for most people because it was a slow, arduous, and painful process. It was another hundred years before an invention came along to make tattooing much quicker, less painful, and more accessible for greater numbers of people.

In 1891 an inventor named Samuel O'Riley obtained a patent for the very first electric tattooing machine. Based on an invention of Thomas Edison's, the tattoo machine included moving coils, a tube of ink, and a needle bar. Today, over a hundred years later, tattoo machines work the same way.

Body piercing evolved in a similar fashion, with various piercing styles considered acceptable by different cultures at different times in history. As little as thirty years ago in the US, for example, it was commonplace for women to have pierced ears but was considered as either a sign of rebellion or even homosexuality for a man. Pierced noses, lips, nipples, and (gasp) genitals were unheard of and would have been absolutely shocking to most people. Today all of these are commonplace. While the number of people who pierce their genitals is still comparatively small, no one really reacts with shock when they hear of someone who has had it done. All of these piercings have been practiced regularly at some point in history. Even the famed "Prince Albert" piercing (which is a piercing in the penis) comes from one of the most infamously sexually repressed societies, Victorian England.

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