Tattooing

Tattooing Tattooing, method of decorating the skin by inserting colored substances under the surface. The skin is punctured with a sharp instrument, which now is usually an electric needle. In many parts of the world tribal people use tattooing and scarification to indicate social rank and affiliation or as a sign of mourning. Scarification involves slashing the skin and introducing irritants into the wounds, which, when healed, leave pronounced scars. Tattooing was practiced by the Egyptians as early as 2000 bc. Color tattooing became highly developed among the Maoris of New Zealand and was once popular as a form of adornment in China, India, and Japan. Sailors introduced the practice into Europe during tattooing, skin, practice, century, united, tattoos, states, scarification, sailors, popular, needle, communities, among, age, zealand, youth, years, wounds, world, under, tribal, transfers, throughout, surface, substances, spread, social, slashing, sign, sharp, scars, restricted, removed, remained, rank, punctured