Tattooing is the process of using a sharp instrument to insert ink or some other form of pigmentation below the skin. Body piercing involves piercing or cutting some part of the body to allow for adornment with jewelry.
Throughout history tattoos have been symbols of status, signs of religious and ritualistic beliefs, declarations of loyalty, love and allegiance, and marks of criminals and punishments. Body piercing in early history signified wealth, social class and beauty, as well as being used for erotic stimulation and to signify rites of passage in certain tribes.
The history of tattooing and body piercing can be traced back thousands of years to the ancient Egyptians. Further evidence-- according to the Smithsonian website in an article titled "Tattoos; The Ancient and Mysterious History" by Cate Linebury; January 1, 2001--has identified even older tattooing, carbon dated at around 5,200 years old, on the "Iceman," discovered near the Italian-Austrian border in 1991.
The five basic types of tattoos are abstraction, naturalistic, dedication, simplification and complex. Body parts most commonly pierced include, ears, eyebrows, nose, tongue, nipples and genitals.
Since piercing, puncturing or cutting of the skin is involved in both types of body art, there is always a risk of infection, contraction of hepatitis B or accumulation of scar tissue.