It’s not really known how long tattooing has been around but it’s quite possibly as long as 12,000 years and we do know the ancient Egyptians practiced the art of tattooing.
One may think the art of tattooing has its history mainly with men. Not so. Women from various cultures tattooed their bodies for a variety of reasons. Take the women from Borneo. They would mark themselves to show what they were skilled at, such as weaving or the gatherer of medicinal herbs. This communicated their rank as marriage material. In western Asia, girls were marked in such a way as to show their place in society.
In the last 100 years tattooing was common among criminals, motorcyclists and gang members but in the last 20 years this has drastically changed, so much so that approximately 50% of all tattoos are done on women. And who are these women? These are the soccer moms, and professional women, the women from ages of 18 to 40.
Tattooing has gone through its ups and downs over the centuries, and has even been banned many times in different cultures for periods of time. It appears though that tattooing will never really go away. During periods of a ban it seems to go underground until such time it is free to resurface.
Tattooing, (which is a Tahitian word meaning “to be marked”) in some cultures, has only the women being allowed to do the markings.
Today’s women are free to make their own choices in regards to tattooing. It is becoming more and more popular to have artistic designs placed just about anywhere on the body. You commonly see tattoos adorning an ankle, or husbands or boyfriends names on a forearm. Some women like to have a private tattoo for their spouse only.
Even celebrities are getting them such as Pamela Anderson and Christina Applegate.
As little as twenty years ago, you did not see tattoos on women very much. Now you can go to any beach and see a design on the lower back of many young girls tanning in the sun.
There are many types of tattoos to choose from such as gothic or Celtic design, Polynesian or Tahitian. Our current day artists are becoming more creative in their custom patterns.
Taking the time to choose just the right design is of utmost importance because this is something you will have to live with for the rest of your life. Tattooing the name Bob just because he is the most current flame is probably not a wise choice especially when the real Mr. Right comes along. He may not appreciate the constant reminder.
Should you choose to get a tattoo, make sure you are dealing with a reputable shop that is safety conscious.
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