Tribal Tattoos: Designs & Origins

Ancient tattoos are often preserved when skin has been mummified or preserved in ice or peat, but nobody knows for sure when the first tattoo was inked.

This blog post is written to take you on a quick trip around the world looking at some interesting facts about the origins of tattoo designs.

The Pacific Islands

It is thought that the word tattoo originated from the Tahitian word tatau, meaning ‘to mark’.

Maori men tattooed their faces with fierce looking patterns and Maori women tattooed their lips and chins and were a sign of beauty.  These tattoos are caved into the flesh using a bone chisel, and ink is then placed in the cuts.  Recently Maori tattoos have become popular in the tattoo world.

In Samoa the tattoo marks the ability to bear pain and is still true today.

Tattooing in Japan is thought to go back some ten thousand years, with probably the most recognisable (and probably the most beautiful and elaborate) form of Japanese body art is associated with the organized crime group the Yakuza.

Central and South America

There is evidence showing that prior to the arrival of the Spanish in Central and South America that tattoos and body painting was widespread and largely used for social and spiritual purposes (rather than just decorative).  The arrival of the Spanish marked the start of a rapid decline and termination of many indigenous cultures, taking with them the knowledge of how these looked and how they were applied.

Central and South Africa

Tribal tattoos designs were traditionally applied using a the method of marking out the design on the skin with series of black dots, which works less well on darker skins.  This may explain why tribal tattoos are not as prevalent as in Central and South African cultures.  Rather than tattoos – skin painting and scarification is widely used as a way of decorating the body.

Europe

The remains of Ötzi the Iceman were found entombed in a glacier in the Italian / Austrian Alps and have been dated back some 5,000 years shows that he had about 57 carbon tattoos consisting of simple dots and lines on his lower spine, on his right ankle and behind his left knee.

Tattooing in Europe has obviously been around for many thousands of years (as seen on Ötzi the Iceman), although it was thought that Captain Cook ‘re-introduced’ tattooing back into Europe after his expedition around the Pacific in 1769.  Many sailors returned bearing permanent souvenirs on their bodies.  Since the return of this voyage, tattoos have been associated with life on the sea.

Tribal Tattoos Designs

Tribal Tattoos Designs vary considerably in terms of their design and style, however they mostly use large areas of solid black called ‘blackwork’

Below are a few links to other websites which, if you are looking for tribal tattoo designs or forearm tattoo designs would be a good place to start looking (please note we may get a commission if you purchase anything from these sites).

Tattoo Me Now (3,523 designs (and growing!) in 40 categories, including many blackwork designs)

Chopper-Tattoo (provides you with literally thousands of award winning tattoos, including tribal tattoos designs – easy to browse)

Print My Tattoo (7,500 tattoo designs ready to be printed and used, including many forearm tattoo designs).

See more information about tribal tattoo at: ezinearticles.

Technorati Tags: Blackwork, Forearm Tattoo, maori, Tattoo Designs, Tribal Tattoo Designs, Tribal Tattoos Designs, yakuza

The art of tattooing is probably as old as humanity itself and tribal tattoo designs have always been at the forefront of the most favorite tattoo designs throughout the ages. Even though the technology used in tattoos have evolved from the crude ink and needle techniques of yesteryear’s to the modern tattoo- making tools and machines that can create colorful, very intricate and very complicated works of art on a human body, the preference for tribal designs never waned.

The following is a short discussion of the various tribal tattoo designs that many people prefer and a look into the meaning behind these designs.

*The Traditional Meaning of Tribal Tattoos

It has been the tradition of many tribes around the world to sport a form or two of tribal-tattoos on their bodies as part of being a member of that particular tribe. Some of the more popular traditional designs that we see today originated from Borneo, the Celts, the Haidas in Southeast Alaska, the Native American Indians, the ancient Chinese, the Aztecs and other South American tribes, and the Polynesian tribes particularly the Maori people.

Tribal tattoo designs and meanings vary from each tribe and it depends on their mythological roots and how each tribe view and interact with there surroundings and with the world. Most of these designs are associated with their beliefs and religions and form part of rituals and rights of passages. These tattoo designs also have significant social meanings ranging from a unique identification system for families or tribes or as a record of the individual’s accomplishments and phases in life. Others believe tattoos can bring out magical powers or they can drive off evil spirits.

*Tribal Tattoo Meanings in the Modern World

Tribal tattoos are really great-looking designs that stand out despite their monochromatic characteristics. The modern world and tattoo enthusiasts have combined certain elements of traditional designs and mix it up with modern lines, curves and other elements. These designs can be adapted from traditional patterns used by real tribes, or designs can be created from an original variation of the artist using traditional tribal elements.

However, a person wanting such variations or adaptation from original designs should be careful not to offend the original tribe by making more careful studies on tribal tattoo meanings particularly for a specific tribe. Some traditional designs used by native tribes signify their identity and if used by an outsider, the act would be considered a serious insult to the original tribe.

In most cases, tribal tattoo designs used in a modern context does not have the same meaning or connotation as traditional tribes have intended them to be. Most do not have a real meaning in itself and were just created because of plain, artistic and aesthetic beauty that the image possesses. Despite that, a lot of people are enamored and would prefer the tribal design over the multi-colored variations.

Tattooing is an age-old tradition used by many tribes all throughout the world. The black images used in tribal tattoo designs have different connotations and meanings as they are used throughout the tattoo world – both traditionally and in a modern sense.

If you are looking for unique, hot and sexy tribal tattoo design I recommend you have a look at http://www.MiamiInkTattooDesigns.com. They have more than 25,000 tattoo designs in their gallery.

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