The history of tattoos is almost as ancient as the history of human civilization. The word "tattoo" comes from a Samoan word, which indicates the existence of this practice in Polynesian lands.

Tattoos have been applied in various ways throughout the world since neolithic times. They have served decorative purposes, similar to jewelry, as well as denoting tribal identity and status. The English explorer James Cook encountered tattooed natives in his voyage to Polynesian lands and recorded this.

The Ainu people of Japan have also long worn tattoos on their bodies, including the face. This may account for the recent as well as traditional popularity of the art in Japan in general.

The ancient Egyptians also practiced tattooing. Some of their tattoos have been preserved on clay dolls, similar to ones used on actual humans. From Egypt, like so many other aspects of that civilization, tattooing spread to other cultures in the Near East. This practice continues to this very day, as modern gangs use tattoos to identify themselves with a particular gang. In Japan, tattoos are often associated with the notorious Yakuza organized crime gang (though tattooing is becoming mainstream in Japan now, as in many other places).

The meanings of tattoos can be quite intricate or practically arbitrary. In some tribes and subcultures, tattoos are a kind of language, with symbols having very specific meanings. A well known (if rather morbid) example of this is the gang tattoo of a teardrop, signifying a killing. A more benevolent use of tattoo symbolism is the writing of a loved one's name or initials on a body part.

Historically, tattoos went from being something confined to areas commonly thought of as "primitive" to being popular in certain mainly deviant subcultures. Up until fairly recently, tattoos in Western culture were mainly popular among prisoners, military personnel, gang members and, in general, people who wanted to rebel or blatantly express their individuality. The same, of course, is also true of body piercing.

During the last decade or two, however, tattoos have become far more mainstream. They are now so commonplace that it is no longer possible to generalize about people who have them. While some people still consider them to be marks of outlaws or perhaps "heathens," they are now on the bodies of people of all ages, races and socioeconomic backgrounds. In addition to being borderline mainstream today, and accepted as ways to decorate the body, tattooing is increasingly recognized as a bona fide art form.

Tattoo artists are being recognized as, well, artists, who use the human body as their medium. The Tattoo History Source Book contains a detailed and very well illustrated account of the colorful origins of this exciting art.