Tribal Tattoo Designs

For centuries, tattoos symbolized the membership in groups, families, but for a few years, tattoos have become more popular. We'll find many surprising stories about the tattoos significance and role: many sailors believe that a tattoo is a talisman against the possibility of drowning at sea. The American Indian believed tattoos protected them in battle and some Burmese people think even today that a tattoo over the heart can stop bullets.

The tribal tattoos history is a real kaleidoscope; each place of Earth where the tattoos are popular has a particular and many times surprising history, significance, tradition, and realization technique. But almost everywhere, the tattoos appeared a few hundred years ago.

 

The place where the word tattoo originated, were the tribal tattoo reached perfection for thousand of years is Tahiti. Celtic tattoos are one of the most attractive design choices. Some fifth century painted pictures are representing warriors having tattoos all over their body; the tattoos are indicating the rank or caste. Almost all the Celtic tattoo designs are complicated, there is neither end nor beginning to it. Many designs are presenting zoomorphic elements or spirals.

In Russia, the tattoos tradition isn't so old: they were the prisoners' secret language. In the "heart of darkness" tattoos as protection gains some credibility.

Netsilik women were tattooed in order to gain admittance to the afterworld.

Now let see the tribal tattoo tradition in US. The tattoos become exotica for the upper classes. Later, the port city tattooist began inking criminals, fiefs and prostitutes and tattoo became mark of lowlifes. 

Executive Summary By Vincent Volder