The earliest known documented cases of a tattoo on bodies were originally found on several female Egyptian mummies, which dated back to around c. 2000 B.C. However, the discovery of the "Ice Man" in 1991, a mummy found near the Italian-Austrian border, pushed that date back to about 3000 B.C. This mummy had tattoos on his lower back, right knee, and ankle joints, suggesting that they had been done for therapeutic purposes in areas with painful joints.
In ancient Egypt, tattooing seemed to be an exclusive female practice. At first dismissed as a possible sign of promiscuity or low character, scientists now believe that perhaps the tattoos found on female Egyptian mummies had a different meaning altogether. Because some of the mummies were found in tombs associated with royalty, the initial belief changed. It is now hypothesized that they were, in fact, symbols of protection for women enduring childbirth.
Perhaps the most significant civilization to practice that art of tattoo is the Polynesian culture. In fact, the word "tattoo" comes from the Tahitian word "tautau," a word that was introduced to the Western World after the explorations of Captain James Cook in Polynesia. When early explorers discovered the Pacific Islands, they were amazed by the painted skin of the natives and also the techniques used to apply these tattoos. For thousands of years to the present time, Polynesian cultures, specifically Samoans, have used the same tattooing technique of applying by hand. In Polynesian cultures, tattoos had very special significance, usually symbols of status or coming-of-age.
Though the methods have changed, decorating the body through the insertion of ink into the skin layers has remained a thriving art form. To some the meaning is still cultural but most modern tattooing is usually done for personal meaning or for decoration as one of the oldest thriving art forms in the world.
