Tattooing has a deep cultural history throughout the Pacific island region, and is the root of the modern tribal tattooing style found in tattoo shops today. The Lapita culture is believed to have begun tattooing over 4,000 years ago, and this was later developed into tattoo art exhibited by Samoan cultures. The "au" tattoo needle is dipped into ink and tapped in by the "lapalapa" to mark the skin. In Samoan culture, both men and women are tattooed, with men typically wearing darker and more heavily inked designs.
Called irezumi, body art in Japan also has a long history dating from approximately 300 B.C. The cultural status of tattoos in Japan began as a religious marking and then transformed into being used to mark criminals during the Kofun period (300 to 600 A.D.). It was not until the beginning of the Edo period, at about 1,600 A.D., that the art form gained the status and prestige that it continues to have until this day (see Resources).
The early explorations of the Western world, particularly those undertaken by the English court, were largely responsible for bringing the tattooing as an art form to the West. Captain Cook's Pacific voyages from 1766 to 1779 resulted in some of the first Western accounts of tattoos and the art of tattooing as exhibited in the Pacific Island cultures. From here, tattoos slowly permeated even the uppermost echelons of society, including monarchs--King George V had two tattoos, one from a visit to the Middle East in 1892 and one from a visit to Japan.
Electric tattoo machines originated in 1876 when Thomas Edison patented an engraving device. It was not until 1891 that Samuel O'Reilly created a tattoo machine, which used rotary technology, based on this device. American tattooing originated in the Navy and other military branches, with sailors often choosing themes of animals, pin up girls or a loved one's name as a tattoo design. Modern tattoo design has branched out considerably, with such additions as neo-tribal and intricate portrait designs.
Tattooing has played a varied role in society. With a foundation in religion and culture, tattoos were used to mark a significant occasion in the wearer's life. They were used to mark criminals in Japanese culture, a practice which carried over to European cultures later. It was not until the 1890s that tattooing began to become a socially acceptable art form again; even so, this metamorphosis in roles is still not complete. Certain religions, such as Judaism, for example, still regard tattooing as a religious taboo.