Tattoo

Tattoo - the process of applying permanent (persistent) pattern on the body, the method of local trauma of the skin with the introduction into the subcutaneous fiber of a coloring pigment. As a rule, the tattoo and its appearance are determined by the customer himself, or the conditions of life and society. Tattoo nocyte characteristic features, divided into types, styles and methods of manufacture. Refers to decorative body modifications.

Tattoo - a term borrowed from the Polynesian language, in the Tahitian dialect the word «tatau» denotes a drawing. In the English language this word introduced the eminent English traveler James Cook . He used it in a report on his journey around the world published in 1773. Prior to this, tattooing in Europe was a way of decoration and identification of the human body and was not distinguished by a separate name. The terms used before Cook defined tattoo in the general weight of techniques of direct decoration and designation of the human body. Sometimes they were borrowed from the jargon and slang of various social groups.

The list of the most interesting tattoo designations, which in the past were used in the territory of Western Europe: «signum» and «stigma» - these words are known from literature of Ancient Rome, the word «stygmat» is found in the Bible published by Luther in 1534, «grafism» - by G. Casanova . «hieroglif» - so wrote in «Wedding Figaro» P. O. Bomarsha. The words «sign», «imprint» are found in the novel «The Outcasts» by V.Hugo. In addition to these terms until the end of the 18th century in the territory of Western Europe quite widely used names: «carved drawing» and the French term «piquage», the author of which was marquis L. de Moncal (1712-1759), personally familiar with the customs of the then Indians of Canada. In general, on the European continent, the tattooed most often referred to the word «colored» or «marked with a dot». The Dutch called the tattooing process «prikschildern» or «stechmalen», which in translation means «drawing a dagger». The British used the words «punctures» and «punctation», the Spanish - «pintados».