1. Pacific Islands Tattoo
The Pacific Islands located at the equator, the locals are isolated from the rest of the world and are protected by nature, without being invaded by natural enemies, carnivores and diseases. .
1. Polynesian Tattoo
Polynesia has always been said to be the original birthplace of tattoos. For many early European explorers, the Polynesians lived in a state of innocence, and their art and The craftsmanship is outstanding. Polynesian tattoos can be traced back to at least 2000 BC and are spread across all the islands. The English word "tattoo" comes from the Polynesian word "tattau", which means "to carve a mark." When Polynesians enter adolescence, they will Got my first tattoo in my life. Polynesian tattooists produced some of the most exquisite and skilled tattoos in the ancient world. Unfortunately, what we know about Polynesian tattoos is only a glimpse, and most of the designs, as well as the rich related traditions, myths and religious rituals, are permanently lost! It is a true lost civilization.
2. New Zealand Tattoo
Polynesians crossed the ocean from the Pacific Islands more than a thousand years ago and settled in New Zealand. They are called Maori. Tattoos have been clearly subdivided among the Maori people. Regardless of their origin or purpose, they all contain sacred meanings. This is the biggest difference between them and modern tattoos. Tattoos are a Maori symbol of rank and status. Every tattoo is unique, just like a life resume. It records the Maori's occupation, status in the tribe, his family, and even his life's achievements.
Maori young people get their first tattoos after entering adolescence. Men can have their tattoos tattooed on parts of their bodies or on their whole bodies, while women are generally limited to their lips and chin.
Before tattooing, the pattern must be designed by the clergy or tattoo operator within the ethnic group. Maori youth must understand the important meaning of the pattern, seek support from family members and elders, and finally the elders decide the choice. This selection process usually takes several months.
3. Tongan and Samoan tattoos
In 1200 BC, primitive Polynesian culture began to develop in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Here, over the course of thousands of years, Polynesian language, culture, and art have evolved. Shortly before the birth of Christ, these early Polynesians embarked on an unprecedented voyage, spanning thousands of miles, to discover islands beyond the horizon. Polynesian tattooing only developed into a highly sophisticated art in Tonga and Samoa. Tongan warriors are tattooed with a series of geometric patterns from their waist to their knees.
Polynesian tattoos were briefly mentioned in European ship logs in the 17th and 18th centuries, but it was only on the maiden voyage of Captain Cook's expedition in 1769 that the naturalist Joseph Bunn was accompanying him. Detailed description of the lock.
Ironically, as tattooing dies out in the Pacific, it becomes increasingly popular among Westerners.
2. Asian tattoos
American Dooley once said: "While our ancestors were still chopping in the woods, the Orientals had already begun to create cultural heritage." The earliest tattoos widely remembered in China should appear on the heroes of Liangshan in "Water Margin". Tokyo, the capital of the Song Dynasty, was the largest city in the world at that time. Tattoos were sublimated into a relatively special cultural symbol. The technology was very mature, and the colors were rich and varied. Japan, which is closely related to China, accepted the tattoos introduced from China and carried them forward.
1. Chinese tattoos
Tattoos in China can be traced back at least 3,500 years, which can be confirmed from ancient cave paintings (there is a tattoo in Lianyungang and Jiangjun Cliff in Jinping Mountain, China). The strokes of the Neolithic Age include painted people). From the painted pottery culture to the Sanxingdui ruins, from Wuyue in the southeast to the barbarians in the southwest, the distribution area of ??ancient tattooing is very wide.
During the Zhou Dynasty, tattoos began to be used in criminal law, called "ink punishment", including "branding", "type", "tattoo", etc. This criminal law was abolished by the time of Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty. It was revived during the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. There is no record in the laws of the Tang Dynasty, so I don’t know the details. Three years after Jin Tianfu in the Five Dynasties, "tattooing" was revived as a novel criminal law that tattooed words on the faces of prisoners sent to the border. From then on to the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties for more than a thousand years, "tattoo" continued unabated.
Tattoos are also recorded in ancient Chinese books, but most of them are tattoos of ethnic minorities.
2. Japanese Tattoo
2,500 years ago, the immigrant Ezo people came to Japan from China with tattoos, making tattoos develop into a highly refined art in Japan.
The history of tattoos in Japan can be traced back to the Warring States Period. At that time, many city lords kept ninjas to perform secret missions. For the sake of confidentiality, most ninjas had no names or historical records, so they relied on tattoos. To distinguish between different factions of ninjas in each city. Most of the tattoos of ninjas are the flags or emblems of various cities. In addition to ninjas, most geishas at that time had various patterns on their bodies, usually in color, and the styles were mostly dragons, tigers, phoenixes, carps, turtles and warriors. It can be seen that Japan's tattoo technology was already very mature during the Warring States Period, but the public's acceptance was not high.
3. American tattoos
A tattoo symbolizes a prey hunted, a person killed by oneself in a tribal fight, a victory in a martial arts competition between fellow tribesmen.... ..The Indians seem to use their bodies as notepads, using tattoos to record all the experiences in their lives. After death, the tattoos will also serve as a passport to the unknown world.
When people mention Indians, they will think of their peculiar tattoos, feathered clothing and long black hair, which give people the impression of being ancient and mysterious. The patterns of Indian tattoos are bold and abstract, similar to the patterns of contemporary tribal tattoos.
Peruvian archaeologists unearthed Inca tattoos --- mummies from the 11th century AD - in 1920. Because there are no written records, little is known about the meaning of tattoos in Indian culture.
4. African Tattoo
A series of archaeological discoveries prove that tattoos were also very popular in Egypt. Tattoos in Egypt were defined as interpretations of social castes and tribal alliances, representing specific trades and classes.
But most of the people with tattoos are women, and they contain symbolic meanings of lust and sex~