Tattoos1 are often seen on sailors, bikers2, and gang3 members, but now, they
are not just
connected with people with something to prove. Instead, they have become popular with
ordinary people. In fact, people all over the world have been
marking their bodies with tattoos for thousands of years. The earliest known tattoos were found on several female Egyptian mummies4 from around 2000 BC. However, scientists discovered in 1991 AD that the art of tattooing is much older.
Otzi the Iceman, who was found in the Alps between Italy and Austria, had tattoos from 5,200 years ago.
Cultures around the world have been
practicing tattooing for many reasons. Ancient Egyptians tattooed women to protect them before and during child birth. Ancient Britons used tattoos as marks of
religion or high
status. The most famous were the Picts. They tattooed images of beasts5 in blue to give themselves those animals' spirits and power during battle. Ancient Romans, Chinese, and Japanese marked criminals6 and slaves with tattoos. For most tribes7 in Polynesia, tattoos were used to
indicate a person's status, tribe, and abilities. For the Maori of New Zealand, each design was
unique and like an ID card on a person's face. Tattoos were also common in Taiwan. The people of the Atayal tribe tattooed both young men and women's faces as they became adults.
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