What are the things to know about tattoos that not everyone knows? Let’s try to answer this very interesting question, which is worth exploring in greater depth.
After all, more and more people in Italy and abroad have at least one tattoo on their skin or want to get one, so it’s useful to find out more.
Here are some things to know about tattoos
Here is a list of things to know about tattoos that perhaps not everyone knows. These are little gems that are worth discovering.
1) The origin of the word tattoo
Probably not everyone knows that the word tattoo has very ancient origins. Specifically, we have to refer to some ancient Polynesian dictionaries, since the word comes from tattaw, which means to decorate.
The term caught on in the late 1700s, when James Cook returned from one of his voyages in the warm waters of the South Seas and brought the ancient art of tattooing back to the Western world, using the Polynesian word.
2) There is a fashion for advertising tattoos
This is probably not so widespread in Italy, but it is in the rest of the world, especially in English-speaking countries. These are tattoos done for money, which serve to convey an advertising message. In most cases, they are addresses of websites looking for advertising, e-commerce or blogs. A winning idea from the other side of the world, which may also catch on in Italy.
3) New York law against tattoos
Few people know that not so long ago in New York there was a law prohibiting tattoos. Yes, you read that right: from 1961 to 1997, a law was enacted in New York prohibiting tattoos. Probably the least respected law ever.
4) Winston Churchill and his tattoo
Another interesting fact about tattoos is that Winston Churchill had an anchor tattooed on his forearm. And he wasn’t the only one: many politicians, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt, had tattoos and were proud of them.
5) Sailors’ tattoos
It is also interesting to discover the meaning of sailors’ tattoos, especially those of American sailors, who have a much stronger tradition. If a sailor has a dragon tattoo, it means he has been to China. There are many other symbols with meanings, such as the turtle, which symbolizes having crossed the Equator.
6) The most tattooed man in the world
If you are wondering who the most tattooed man in the world is, here is the answer. His name is Lucky Diamond Rich. He is Australian and his body is completely covered in ink. A true work of art that took over 1,000 sessions with a tattoo artist.
7) Tattooed mummies
The first tattoo in history is that of the Otzi mummy. The Similaun man, found in 1991, had marks on his body that were thought to be signs of medical treatments but were, in fact, tattoos.
The last thing to know, which is also the most obvious but never too often repeated, is that you should always go to professional tattoo artists who can guarantee the quality and safety of the materials, equipment, and inks used to create tattoos.
