Ancient Origins
Tattooing is an ancient form of body modification, used for personal expression, rites of passage, status, protection, or, in negative cases, punishment. Tattooing processes have been found around the world, with the western consensus on tattoos varying from negative to positive throughout history. How much do you really know about your ink?
1. 3330 BCE
The first known tattooed person lived in 3330 BCE. Ötzi, or The Iceman, was found in 1991 on the Austria-Italy border. He is Europe’s oldest known natural human mummy. Ötzi had a total of 61 tattoos, consisting of black parallel lines along his body, and two cruciform marks located behind the right knee and right ankle.
2. Thanks, Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison is credited with inventing the autographic printing pen in 1875. While originally meant for duplicating documents, a tattoo artist named Samuel O’Reilly took Edison’s design and added a needle and ink reservoir. This created the first electric tattoo machine, which O’Reilly patented in 1891.
3. Etymology
The origins of the word tattoo stem from Polynesia. More specifically, the Tahitian word tatau or the Marquesan word tatu, both meaning “to strike” or “to mark.” The word was officially recorded in the late 18th century by Captain James Cook while he toured the Pacific Islands.
4. Not FDA-Regulated
Tattoos and tattoo inks aren’t actually regulated or approved by the FDA; instead, they operate under local and state jurisdictions. While the FDA does classify tattoo inks as cosmetic, there has been a lack of evidence of tattoo ink creating massive safety problems.
5. Therapeutic Benefits
The act of getting tattooed actually provides individuals with several health benefits. Having multiple tattoos can help with your immune system, reduce stress, and even help your athletic ability, as the act of getting tattooed reduces your cortisol levels and increases your immunoglobulin A production.
6. Robbie Koch
Robbie Koch is a tattoo artist who recently broke the world record for most tattoos given in 24 hours. The Mississippi artist gave out 577 tattoos, with hundreds of folks showing up to support. Koch made over 15 thousand dollars from the event, which all went to the Make-A-Wish foundation.
7. Skin-Deep
When you get tattooed, the tattoo needle is actually depositing ink into your skin’s dermis layer, a permanent and more fibrous layer of your skin. Because our epidermis constantly sheds, the ink has to go this deep to maintain the design.
Certified Tattoo Academy on Unsplash
8. Husband’s Permission
While women have been getting tattooed for thousands of years, Western women began using tattoos as a means of rebelling against the patriarchy. Up until the 1960s, women in the United States needed written consent from their husbands to get a tattoo, which was fought against during second-wave feminism.
9. Non-Stop Tattooing
Ohio tattoo artist Robin H.M. broke the world record for the longest consecutive amount of time tattooing, and the longest consecutive amount of time tattooing one person in 2017. She sat for 70 hours straight, tattooing at the Sheraton Station Square, with 60 of those hours spent tattooing just one person.
10. Angels And Hearts
While not confirmed by any academic research, the most popular tattoo motifs are generally believed to be angels and hearts. This is likely due to their widespread symbolism of spiritual protection, love, purity, faith, and familial affection.
11. Russian Prisoners
In the 20th-century Soviet Union, it was a common practice for Russian prison communities to tattoo portraits of Lenin or Stalin. This was done under the belief that firing squads would never shoot images of their leaders.
Batum Gendarme Administration on Wikimedia
12. Ink Ingredients
Today, tattoo ink is usually made of water, glycerin, or alcohol mixed with pigment. However, ancient black tattoo ink was made up of soot or ground charcoal mixed with water or vodka.
13. Girl Mummies
Recently, a 2,500-year-old Siberian ice mummy revealed intricate tattoo designs of leopards, a stag, a rooster, and a half-lion, half-eagle creature. The woman, around 50 years old at the time of death, was part of the nomadic Pazyryk people, who traveled between China and Europe.
The original uploader was Kobsev at Russian Wikipedia. on Wikimedia
14. Macy’s Star
Did you know that the bright red star of the Macy’s logo is actually based on a tattoo? It’s a replica of R.H. Macy’s tattoo, which was situated between the thumb and forefinger on his right hand. Macy received the tattoo at 15 years old, when he worked on a whaling ship in Nantucket.
15. Rite Of Passage
Many cultures use tattooing as a rite of passage. For example, Polynesian tattoos, known as tā moko, involve people getting their family tree tattooed on their skin. Many Native American tribes used tattooing as a ceremonial practice to showcase their tribal identity, hunting skills, or significant life changes. In New Zealand, the Maori people use tattoos as a form of storytelling and personal achievement.
16. Insect Eggs
The oldest recorded tattoo ink recipe was written by an ancient Roman physician by the name of Aetius. In this recipe, he recorded pine bark, corroded bronze, vinegar, vitriol, leek juice, and insect eggs. Awesome!
17. Oldest Tattooer In The World
Located in a remote village of the Philippines' Kalinga Province sits the oldest tattoo artist in the world. Apo Whang-Od Oggay is 107 years old, and she’s been practicing the traditional form of tattooing known as “batok” since she was a teenager.
18. Valuable Insight
Several studies have shown that tattooing is a great way to inform psychiatric practices. While it’s not a form of pathology, discussing tattoos with patients can help inform aspects of identity and provide a window to the psyche.
19. Coping With Grief
A common practice when dealing with loss is getting a “memorial tattoo.” These types of tattoos serve multiple functions in the grief process, as they allow the mourner to have a tangible attachment to their loved one and serve as a therapeutic tool for adjusting to loss.
20. The Clean Slate Initiative
Many organisations across the United States offer Clean Slate Tattoo Removal programs, an effort to help ex-gang members or extremists receive free tattoo removals to help them find work. The initiative started in 2016 at UC San Diego.
