Body Adornment History

The Ancients

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  All the ancient civilizations have recorded the use of tattoos, from the ancient Egyptians, who only tattooed women, to Asian civilizations like Japan, who only tattooed men. Polynesians were egalitarian and tattooed men and women.

Spiritual Cleansing

• Step 1:
  In the earliest days, getting body art was a spiritual act meant to signify a painful cleansing. One did not just get a tattoo or body piercing, there was always a ritual involved that gave significance to the tattoo or piercing.

Spiritual Identification

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  Ancient European cultures used tattoes to differentiate between classes, as did other ancient cultures. And for all, body decorations served as identification as well since each tribe was different from the next.

Contemporary Identification

• Step 1:
  In part, tribal identification is still a reason for some to get tattooed today, most often with members of gangs. In music, heavy metal and gothic devotees will have not only tribal tattoosbut tribal body piercings as well to signify their "tribe."

For Some, Beauty

• Step 1:
  And then today there are those of us who get body art just because we like the beauty of it, be it signs of the Zodiac, or piercings in places that make you think "ouch!"

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