A tattoo is a marking made by inserting indelible ink into the layers of skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons. Tattoos on humans are a type of decorative body modification, while tattoos on animals are most commonly used for identification or branding. (wikipedia) The oldest mummy every found - dated back to the Bronze Age of Europe - is also the oldest example of tattooing. The mummy had 59 tattoos, including stripes, lines and cruciform marks on various parts of his body, and thus began the history of tattoos. No one is sure of the meaning of the tattoos. Some may have been marking from his tribe, others may have been from rituals or even from medical procedures. Speculation abounds, but true reasons will be difficult to determine unless new evidence is found. (tattooslovetoknow) Women (and only women) were tattooed in Egypt in 1550 BC. While tattooing seems to have been around in Egypt before this time, this is when the simple dot and dash designs began to morph into recognizable forms, although most were still largely stick figures.

In 316 A.D., the first known written ban on tattooing is found. Constantine, recently converted to Christianity, prohibited tattooing on the face as it was disfiguring that "which had been fashioned in the likeness of divine beauty." (tattooslovetoknow)

Much of the tattooing done during this time period was often to identify tribes or families, mark criminals and spies, ward off illness or injury, worship in various religions, and show status. While it is possible that some tattooing was done for artistic purposes, the tattoos were often simple and primitive, making them more simple marks than the artistry we see today. (tattooslovetoknow)

Tattooing in America has evolved from a long, rich history which began in the early nineteenth century with sailors. Proof of this was