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Tribal Tattoos: The Forerunner Of Today’s ID Card

The practice of tattooing probably began with tribal shoulder tattoo. It dates back to the Neolithic Age in Eurasia. The oldest human remains so far discovered is that of Otzi the Iceman who must have lived around 3,300 BC in the alpine region of what is now the boundary between Austria and Italy. The well-preserved remains bears 57 tattoos, many of which are simply dots and lines.

Otzi in fact is not the only ancient corpse to have been discovered with tattoos. Several others, particularly mummies, have been found with tattoos that date back to the second millennium BC. Mummies from the burial grounds at Pazyryk on the Ukok Plateau as well as the Mummy of Amunet from Ancient Egypt are some well-known cases. Scholars link the tattoos found on the Mummy of Amunet to the sacred religion surrounding Amunet. Tattoos on Otzi and the Pazyryk mummies exemplify ancient tribal shoulder tattoos and markings.

Tribal communities engaged in tattoing for various reasons but common among them was the use of tattoos for identification. The distinctive tattoo used by each tribe set it apart from other tribes, thus identifying its members and also allowing its members to identify members of other tribes.

The tattoos often also indicated what someone’s role was in a tribe. He could be the chieftain, the shaman, or a warrior, for instance. Depending on tribal practices, tattoo styles varied a great deal for warriors and shamans. More elaborately designed tattoos were usually reserved for chieftains.

. Tribal shoulder tattooing was the general custom since this body part allows the inked symbol to be in full view.

The tribal shoulder tattoos weren’t used solely for recognition but to incite apprehension and threats in enemies as well. Early pre-Christian Celtic and Germanic tribes that inhabited northern and central Europe were described to be heavily tattooed.

In ancient Scotland, a fusion of tribes called Picts were well-known for their scars and tattoos. They were ornamented with intricate dark blue and copper etchings that turned the skin blue. These tattoos and their blue prints got Julius Caesar’s attention and consequently a place in the fifth book of his Gallic Wars series.

Contemporary tribal shoulder tattoos stemmed from these ancient methods and reasons. While they may not have any cultural meaning to the wearer of today, their elaborate designs still make them very attractive. In vogue these days is Celtic knot work, a tribal shoulder tattoo design echoing the art, culture and might of the ancient Celtic tribes that once inhabited Western Europe before its conquest by the Roman Empire. Following the conquest, the Romans outlawed distinguishing tribal markings and tattoos that separate the tribes from the rest of the Empire.

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