From the first body paintings made with ashes to the discovery of driving ink under the skin with several kinds of ancient tools, tattoos were widely used as a kind of expression by native tribes all around the world. Although this kind of decoration was originally used as a camouflage, mankind soon discovered the opportunity of tribal and self expression in the new chance of decorating their own body.


History and Meanings

The most widespread tribal tattoos were, of course, those which showed the markings of a tribe one belonged to. This served as a sign that could identify tribe members in case of meeting representatives of other tribes, and was also as a mark of tribal pride and one's loyalty to his natives. A similar but more private form of tribal tattoos are to be called "family tattos" which took part in the form of a symbol of their lives, usually as animals which were respected to be noble by the whole tribe and their religion. These tattoos were worn by members of a specific family. The third most important form of tribal tattoos were those that represented battles one fought in. Although tattoos were rediscovered by the Western culture only during the age of great geographical discoveries, tribal tattoos were also used in ancient Europe such as by Celtics like anywhere else around the world.


Revival of Tribal Tattoos

Today, tribal tattoos seem to born anew and are even more widespread than in their original era. As tattoos spread accross the Western world in the last few decades, ancient tribal tattoos had become one of the most popular symbols, though they are usually chosen only by aesthetical reasons, without any connection to the tribes whose symbols are used, and sometimes are completely different from the original motives. The most popular ones are natural forces and elements such as flames and suns, or noble and tremendous looking animals as tigers, wolves, eagles and reptiles, but this time without alluding to any group they belong to. Celtic motives are also widely popular, mostly names bordered by Celtic knots. Note that original tribal tattoos were only made in black or as outlined shapes, they have never used colors. The most common areas for tattoos are the arms and shoulders, the back, chest, ankle and calf, while ancient tribe members, even chieftains often tattooed their entire body, including their head and face. Tribal tattoos, along with other kinds of tattos are one of today's most popular designs of self expressing, and no doubt they will be for several decades.