Volcanic glass tools that are at least 3,000 years old were used for tattooing in the South Pacific in ancient times, a new study finds.The skin-piercing tools could yield insight into in the absence of tattooed human remains, the researchers said.Research conducted over the past 25 years found 5,000-year-old. However, such exceptionally preserved human remains are rare, which makes it difficult to use them to learn more about the ancient history of tattooing. One potential way to learn more about prehistoric tattooing is to unearth the tools used to make the markings. However, until now, archaeologists had discovered few ancient tattooing implements, likely because perishable materials were often used to make them, said study co-author Robin Torrence, an archaeologist at the Australian Museum in Sydney.Torrence and her colleagues focused on prehistoric tattooing in the Pacific, in hopes of learning more about the practice in relation to wider social changes in the region. 'Tattooing is a very important cultural practice in the Pacific even today,' Torrence told Live Science.
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'In fact, the English word 'tattoo' comes from a Pacific Polynesian word: tatau.' Location of the Nanggu site in the Solomon Islands. (Image credit: Kononenko et al/Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports)The scientists analyzed 15 obsidian artifacts recovered from the Nanggu site in the Solomon Islands. (Obsidian is a.) The creators of these artifacts, which are at least 3,000 years old, reshaped naturally occurring obsidian flakes so that each possessed a short, sharp point on its edge, the researchers said.To create a tattoo, the surface of the skin must be broken so that pigment can be embedded and thus after the wound heals. In 2015, the researchers performed 26 tattooing experiments with pigskin, using black charcoal pigment and red ochre dye, over the course of about four months. They used obsidian tools that copied the size and shape of the ancient artifacts from Nanggu.When the scientists compared the ancient Nanggu artifacts with those used in the experiments, they found that both sets of tools had similar signs of wear and tear, such as microscopic chipping, rounding and blunting of the edges, and thin scratches. They also detected residues of blood, charcoal and ochre on the Nanggu artifacts.'
The research demonstrates the antiquity and significance of as a cultural tradition amongst the earliest settlers of Oceania,' Torrence said.Initially, the researchers thought these ancient Solomon Islanders might have used these tools as awls to make cloth and other items from animal skin and hide.' However, this possible explanation faced the problem that there were extremely limited species of appropriately large animals in the tropical ecological zone that were hunted for the use of their skins,' Torrence said.
In the last decade or so, it’s safe to say that tattooing has ‘blown up’. It has become huge.It has become so common that many people nowadays seemingly walk into tattooing studios having mulled over their ‘important’ decisions for only mere seconds prior to getting their new tattoo-for-life.Others let their friends tattoo them with a machine that their parents bought them for Christmas – “who cares what it’ll look like – it’ll be funny!” Traditional Tattooing MethodsWell – truly enough, there was a time when you couldn’t just stroll into a tattooing studio, or just buy a tattooing machine from your favourite online store for under $30. A man getting a back tattoo #1 Bamboo TattoosWidely seen as the main technique that started the tattooing – bamboo tattooing is both fascinating to watch, and extremely difficult to master.A handle is crafted out of bamboo wood and is smoothed down and completely rounded for comfort and accuracy, and is finished off with up to two dozen sharpened points added to the end of it to act as the tattooing needles.More or less sharpened points could be added to the ends of the handles for moments when finer or thicker lines of ink are required by the artist.See. Bamboo tattooing.Of course though, the skill required to put the needles in at just the right angle and depth takes tremendous skill and experience.It can take many thousands of tattoo hours to truly master the art of bamboo tattooing – and it often takes hundreds of hours to complete a single large tattoo using this technique.
Rake & Striking Stick TechniqueThis is one of the oldest and most primitive known tattooing methods from throughout the world.Although this technique died out in most countries/civilizations hundreds of years ago, it is still prevalent within some South Pacific territories – namely small areas within countries such as Papua New Guinea and Samoa.Check out the. Rake and striking stick method of tattooing. Metal Tube Tattooing TechniqueThis technique was most prevalent in and was highly popular within ancient Thailand.Current Western tattooing techniques are actually thought to have originated from this tattooing method.Metal (normally brass) hollowed-out tubes are used to house a smaller and thinner metal rod that is slid down the tube. The bottom of this thinner rod is tipped with an extremely sharp point.The artist dips the point into ink before proceeding to carefully place the tube over the required area of skin and firmly pressing down on the tube repeatedly, much like how a sewing machine works, in order to pierce the skin and distribute the ink. Western tattooing method.The needles are slotted onto the end of the gun, which is then connected to a power supply.After the needles are dipped into a pot of ink, and at the push of a button (or a foot pedal), the electrically-charged gun will proceed to cause the needles to extrude and contract many thousands of times per minute.When pressed against the skin, this in-out motion allows the needles to pierce the skin cleanly and accurately.
It is amazing how this work of art has been a part of the world culture especially among Asian and Polynesian countries yet it is still get negative perception among people. I cannot blame them tattoos as often equated to gangsters, thieves, and all the bad things. Hope these mindset changes because this is a great way to express our character and individuality.With regard to the tattoo techniques.
I remember this old tribes woman in the Philippines who uses bamboo to make tattoos. Eurosoft shoes clearance. She is so old she is the only living person in the country doing the ancient practice. Hopefully she gets to pass the skills to the younger generation and keep the old tradition of their tribe alive.