Tattoos:Art Or Desecration
Dictionary.com defines a tattoo as the act or practice of marking the skin with indelible patterns, pictures, legends, etc., by making punctures in it and inserting pigments. Tattoos on humans are a type of decorative body modification. Tattoos have gone through a renewal in popularity in many parts of the world, particularly in North America, Japan, and Europe. In many traditional cultures tattooing has also enjoyed a resurgence, partially in deference to cultural heritage. Historically, a fall in conventional tribal tattooing in Europe happened with the spread of religion, most commonly Christianity( Wikipedia, n.d.). However, some Christian groups, such as the Knights of St. John of Malta, sported tattoos to show their alligence (Order of Malta, n.d.) . A fall often occurred in other cultures following European efforts to convert indigenous people to Western religions and cultural practices. These practices believed that tattooing was desecration or "pagan" activity( Wikipedia, n.d.). Tattoos have begun to appeal to people from every lifestyle. Tattoo parlors are experiencing a growth trend due to three major changes in the tattoo industry: a greater number of tattoo ink colors, the fact that fine artists are entering the field and the proliferation of celebrity tattoos, because many famous, high profile people in music and sports have tattoos, they have become more socially acceptable(iloveindia.com, Purpose of Tattoos section). Understanding the tattoo’s origin, purpose and safety measures will help people make informed decisions on whether it is art or desecration.
The Tahitian word for strike of mark is “tatau” comes from the sound of tapping ink into the skin. The accepted belief is the tattoo originated with the people of the pacific islands. Tattoos accepted among the pacific islanders often times showed social status in the community. Otzi the Iceman found by Helmut and Erika Simon in 1991, dating from the fourth to fifth millennium BC, was found in...
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