African tattoos. Tattoos of different peoples The meaning of drawings on the body in Africa

The center of gravity of the rod. Reel For fly fishing rods, small reels of the simplest device, with a diameter of 4-7 cm, are used. The reel should hold 20 meters of line and the same amount of cord. Its purpose: to conserve the stocks of the line when fishing, change the length of the line when playing

Ritual tattoos This type of tattoo is called ritual because it was used for various sacred purposes. It was believed that wearable images were designed to protect a person. From what? From evil spirits and black magic. People believed that the body painted with drawings

Clan tattoos Since ancient times, a person has tried to emphasize his position in society and belonging to a certain genus and group of people, to a separate family. And for this, he also used wearable jewelry. Such tattoos are informational in nature and serve

Professional tattoos Such wearable drawings were symbols of a particular profession or occupation. In addition, they indicate a person's devotion to the chosen cause. Pilots often depict an airplane, and sailors often depict anchors or

Wellness Tattoos You have certainly heard about Chinese acupuncture - a method of treatment when needles are used as an instrument, stuck into a certain area of ​​the body, depending on the disease. Therefore, many people believe that a tattoo can also

Religious tattoos Such images are applied by representatives of a particular religion. Naturally, the main thing here will be religious symbols: crosses or crescents, quotations from sacred books, plot compositions characteristic of a particular faith. Oddly enough,

Portrait tattoos In many countries of Europe and the USA, it is considered quite common to wear on your body images of close people or various prominent personalities - the idols of the tattoo wearer. Sometimes a person orders a tattoo with a portrait of a beloved pet.

Love tattoos You can not guess for a long time about what it is - it is immediately clear that the main content of such a drawing will be the name of a loved one or beloved. Since ancient times, people have believed that a love tattoo is a kind of talisman of love and romantic relationships. Where did

Tattoo Styles So, we talked about the meanings of tattoo designs. But they also make a stylistic distinction (like every art, tattoos have their own style features). There are many tattoo styles: traditional, ethnic, that is, folk - inherent

Biographical tattoos Biographical tattoos are an integral part of the world of crime. They tell about some important events in the life of the prisoner and about the inclinations of his character. Many of these tattoos are frankly aggressive. They express

Tattoo-inscriptions Such tattoos are divided into digital and alphabetic. They can be inscribed in other images - both those and others. Digital tattoos are used when they want to capture some date: the time of service in the army, a prison term, the term of the first imprisonment or release.

Tattoos in abbreviations Such tattoos are constantly used in the criminal world. Why? Because with their help you can hide your thoughts and some facts from the biography, they allow you to differ from other prisoners. The meanings of such tattoos have been

Tattooing So, the master has prepared skin. It's time to proceed directly to the drawing process. Paper with the printed image is applied to the area of ​​the client's skin where it is necessary to make a tattoo. The master picks up a typewriter - and work

Tattoos of the peoples of Africa: Africa can rightfully be considered the cradle of underwear painting, where almost every tribe has its own traditions of body decoration. An important role in the development of this art was played by climatic conditions, thanks to which people have the opportunity to demonstrate their body all year round. Only on this continent, in ancient times, it was possible to observe all the methods of body decoration that exist today: painting, scarring, tattooing, piercing.

The body was decorated for various purposes, including decorative. Wearable signs spoke about the social status of a person, expressed his worldview, and also reflected the stages of life (transition from childhood to adulthood, marriage, etc.). When applying tattoos, their location, color intensity, size and color played an important role. The latter were often special for each tribe or family. Wearable signs were applied to both men and women. So, for example, in a number of African tribes, young spouses made incisions on the skin, which were then rubbed with resin.

In many tribes, it was customary to apply tattoos to women, talking about their marital status (whether married, have children, etc.). Men's wearable signs usually characterized their owner as a hunter or warrior. As already mentioned, the location of the badge was of no small importance. Scars were applied to all parts of the body: on the chest, back, arms and legs.

For example, in the Ubangi-ban-da family, it was customary to decorate the chest, back and arms with symmetrically located scars. The same location of the sign in different tribes had different meanings. For example, Yaounde women made scars on their thighs. But among the residents adjacent to them, this was considered indecent. In some African tribes, scars were applied to young children. To do this, their cheeks were smeared with a mixture of herbs, ash and saltpeter and rubbed. After the wounds healed, rough scars formed on the skin. The custom of scarring children and adolescents is very ancient.

For example, in order for a young man to be able to join the circle of men, it was necessary to make a certain scar on the skin. The application procedure was very painful, but mandatory, since it was believed that after it it would be easier for a man to cope with life's difficulties. For most African tribes, the absence of a tattoo is still a sign of inferiority. It is believed that a man without a badge will not become a successful hunter, and a woman will not be able to start a family. Due to the fact that tattooing (or scarring) occupied such an important place in the life of the tribes, the process of applying wearable signs belonged to the category of complex rites, in the sacrament of which only the elect were initiated. The traditions of tattooing and scarring were strictly observed, the ceremony was performed mainly by representatives of the older generation.

Tattoos of the inhabitants of Oceania: During his travels, Russian traveler and ethnographer N. N. Miklukho-Maclay collected extensive material about the customs and customs of the indigenous population of Oceania, Southeast Asia and Australia.

In his works, he paid a lot of attention to Aboriginal tattoos, made several sketches of local patterns. N. N. Miklukho-Maclay noted that the locals used both scarring and tattooing, especially color tattooing.

The latter was very popular, as a special application technique made it possible to create thin lines, complex and symmetrical ornaments. Wearable drawings were made by both men and women. They covered with them almost all parts of the body from head to toe.

Some women only tattooed their face, chest, shoulders, or belly. Tribesmen of noble birth and their closest relatives had the most beautiful and largest tattoos. Wearable patterns performed mainly an informative function (indicating social status), sometimes a cult one.

According to the beliefs of the natives, the one who refused to get a tattoo during his lifetime, after death, a terrible punishment awaited. The ceremony of tattooing was revered as sacred, therefore, the priests, who enjoyed universal respect, were mainly engaged in this business. For each priest, a special dwelling was built, in which there were several rooms for clients.

During the entire time of tattooing around the house, the chanting of local residents continued, glorifying the priest and his work. The aborigines used plant thorns, sharp fish bones and shells as tools.

a) The great social significance of Pacific Islander tattoos can be judged from the tribes of Indonesia and Polynesia. Almost all important events in life, from birth to death, they are associated with tattooing. Among the indigenous population, this art was passed down from generation to generation and reached a high level of mastery. People lavishly decorated their bodies with magnificent ornaments for every important occasion.

Therefore, according to underwear drawings, you can easily read the entire biography of the owner of the tattoo. The Polynesian tattoo technique is very interesting. Masters first outline the outline of the pattern on the skin. Then, paint made from almonds and tree seeds is injected along the indicated lines. As a tool, a shark tooth attached to a stick or a sharp incisor made of shells or tortoise shell is used.

After tattooing, the skin area is smeared with oil, hemostatic agents, and sprinkled with charcoal. To heal faster, clients are prescribed a special diet. Since the procedure for applying a tattoo is very long, clients sometimes have to live in the house of masters for several weeks.

b) It is customary for representatives of the New Zealand Majori tribe to make a mask-like tattoo on their faces - moko, which denotes tribal affiliation, status, reports personal merits, etc. It is so individual that when selling their lands to the British, the Majori used its exact copy in as a personal signature for bills of sale and even instead of fingerprints. Among the Maiori, the most beautiful and complex masks were applied to the well-born representatives of the tribe. A person without a moko on his face was called a blank face. He was in the position of a slave, as he was deprived of all rights.

In addition, the masks served as war paint and an indicator of a man's prowess. According to the traditions of the mayori, a dead warrior who had a moko was given the highest honor - they cut off his head and kept it as the main value of the tribe. The unpainted corpses of warriors were left unburied. Moko is a rather complex ornament formed by numerous patterns. The application technique is quite peculiar and resembles the work of woodcarvers: with the help of a special device resembling a chisel, incisions are made on the skin of the face.

The ornament for classic moko is formed from a traditional set of patterns, each of which is applied to a specific area of ​​the face. The pattern is made up of spirals, waves, ribbons and meanders, most often it is symmetrical.

So, for example, radially diverging lines (tivkhana) are drawn on the forehead, which start from the bridge of the nose, pass over the eyebrows and descend to the ears. The nose and cheeks are decorated with spirals (repepi and pongi-anga), the chin with spiral lines (pu-kauvae), the area from the chin to the nostrils with parallel rounded lines (repehi).

The pattern located at the top of the forehead is called puhoro, and the one at the bottom is called titi. Tattooing with needles was performed on other parts of the body (thighs, buttocks). Spirals and broken lines were used as patterns. Majori's tattooing area is limited. So, for example, for men, underwear ornaments were made only on the face, as well as from the waist to the knees, for women - only on the face.

In some cases, men made tattoos on the chest, wrist, and even on the tongue and intimate places. Maiori women also could not imagine life without a tattoo. According to their ideas, only the lines on the lip can save from impending old age, which means from the fading of beauty. Therefore, even the most beautiful outwardly New Zealand woman, who does not have lines in the corners of her mouth, runs the risk of being left without a life partner.

Tattoos of Western Europeans: In pre-Columbian America, tattooing and scarring were an integral part of life, as evidenced by written sources and archaeological finds (sculptures, clay figurines). A striking example is the unusual Mayan tattoos.

When in 1519 the Spaniards landed on the coast of America and saw local warriors, they were stunned by their appearance: unusual headdresses and clothes, decorated with jade plates and feathers, amazing hairstyles, terrible body ornaments and scars.

Since the Europeans were not yet familiar with the tattoo, they decided that it was somehow connected with the devil. Subsequently, the Spaniards recorded in their reports that savages not only worship their terrible gods, but also put their images on their bodies, which are not washed off. Europeans were horrified by such "stunning barbarism" and found such murals disgusting.

However, among the local population, body tattooing was quite common. Wearable images were applied for religious purposes: in honor of the gods, the Indians made sacrifices and made tattoos. The Maya even had a tattoo deity named Akat, who was also considered the spirit of life and was responsible for the growth and development of plants. It was customary for brave warriors to make a new tattoo on the body after another victory. Therefore, in the most daring, as well as the oldest and most experienced warriors, the body was completely dotted with intricate patterns.

According to historical sources, the Maya practiced tattooing and scarring by scratching and cutting through previously dyed skin. Clay-based compositions prepared in a special way were rubbed into the wounds. As a result, after healing, scars appeared on the skin, forming various geometric and symbolic ornaments. Scarification and tattooing is most widespread among the male population.

Scars and tattoos served as a source of pride, an indicator of the courage and valor of a man. Young men before the wedding made small tattoos for themselves. Those who did not have a tattoo were ridiculed, since its absence was considered shameful. Women also tattooed themselves. They applied it to the area from the neck to the waist, except for the chest (due to feeding). Their underwear patterns were distinguished by special beauty and grace.

Tattoos of the peoples of Eastern Europe and Russia: The history of tattoos among the Slavic peoples dates back several millennia, the first mention of them is already found among Roman historians of the 3rd century AD. e. Among the Proto-Slavic tribes, tattooing existed already in the Neolithic era. For its application, special clay seals were used - pitanders. Elements of a rhombo-meander ornament were applied to the presses. These patterns covered the entire body. The Slavs attached magical significance to the drawing of tattoos - it played an important role in the rituals of the fertility cult. Tattoos of women were considered amulets of the hearth.

Some drawings were used as protection from diseases, evil spirits. Tattoos could indicate a person's belonging to a particular clan or tribe.

Among the Serbs and Poles, plant motifs of tattoos were most widespread, symbolic images of the sun were often found. Warriors applied floral ornaments to their hands.

These tattoos were discovered at the end of the 19th century by Austrian scientists Leopold Gluck and Ciro Truhelka. It should be noted that the Eastern and Western Slavs had much in common in the motifs of tattoos and their locations.

The custom of the Zaporizhian Cossacks to shave off their hair and cover their bodies with tattoos has its origins in ancient pagan traditions.

By the time of formation Kievan Rus Russian tattoos have practically lost their magical meaning, remaining only signs of belonging to a clan or social group. In the future, the development of tattoos went in two directions: on the one hand, these were the brands of criminals, on the other, the emblems of the boyars, princes and other members of the nobility.

Later, as the army developed and strengthened, army tattoos began to appear as a sign of belonging to a particular regiment or branch of service. Scythian and related tribes widely used tattoos for ritual purposes, as well as to indicate the social status of a person.

In 1948, during archaeological excavations in the Pazyryk mounds, the burial of the leader of the Altaic Saks tribe, akin to the Scythians, who lived in the Northern Black Sea region, was discovered. The body of the leader was covered with a tattoo, in which animalistic motifs prevailed. One of the tattoos depicted a griffin with long tail. The drawing began on the front of the body, passed under the left arm and ended above the left shoulder blade.

On the right arm and right leg there were also drawings with animal motifs: images of a kulan or a donkey, a mountain sheep, and fantastic animals. The tattoo on the left arm was three separate designs: two jumping deer and a ram.

On the right leg on the outer side of the lower leg was depicted big fish, on the foot - a monster with fangs, horns and three bird heads. In 1993, the mummified body of a young woman was discovered in Altai, whose arms were covered with a tattoo from shoulders to hands. There were also drawings on the phalanges of some fingers.

Such tattoos, according to researchers, were pierced with a sharp object. Presumably, soot was used as a dye. The fantastic motifs of tattoos testify to their magical meaning and are associated with the cult of shamanism, which is preserved among the Altai and other Eastern European peoples to this day.

Tattoos among the Eskimo peoples of Siberia are very ancient history and common roots, which can be inferred from the recurring motifs in the drawings. Tattooing among the Siberian peoples was widespread until the 30s of the XX century, for several centuries it has not undergone almost any changes.

There were mostly primitive drawings: straight lines, sketchy images of humans and animals. The most common ornamental elements were straight and arcuate lines, circles, spirals, ellipses, shoulder blades, tridents, scrapers. Very popular, especially among the coastal peoples, was a figure in the shape of the letter "U", since in shape it resembled the tail of a whale - an animal that provided livelihood for entire villages.

In men, such a tattoo was located in the corners of the mouth, in women - on the arms or cheeks. The method of tattooing among the Eskimo tribes was quite original: a needle with a colored thread attached to it was inserted under the skin and pulled under it. Soot was most often used as a dye. This technique did not allow making too small or complex drawings, but it made it possible to apply a tattoo on a large area of ​​​​skin in a short time.

The tattoos of men were much simpler than those of women, and consisted mainly of the simplest elements. Drawings were applied on the cheeks, in the corners of the mouth, on the temples, on the forehead. Women's tattoos were of great variety and complexity.

Parallel vertical lines were often applied to the chin, forehead and bridge of the nose. A complex pattern of various elements was made on the cheeks. Tattoos also decorated the back surface of the hands, wrists, and the lower part of the forearm; at the same time, the drawings on the hands could be either the same or slightly different.

Tattoos among the Khanty and Mansi, as well as some Tungus tribes, had their own characteristics. The meaning of their ornaments is still unknown, however, there is an opinion that the process of tattooing among these peoples was predominantly a female affair, although representatives of both sexes had drawings.

Men's tattoos probably meant belonging to a clan or family, women's ornaments depicted animals and birds.

Japanese tattoos: In Japan, which is considered the second home of the Tattoo, this art is called "irezumi" and has more than one century. This is evidenced by the terracotta figurines of khaniv, found in the graves of the 5th century, covered with intricate patterns. There are also references to irezumi in literary sources - the first handwritten monuments, including the Kojiki. They, in particular, say that lovers gouged out the names of their loved ones along with the hieroglyph "inochi" ("life"), which meant "love to the grave."

Adherents of the Buddhist faith applied prayers to the Buddha on their skin. It is believed that the Japanese borrowed the art of tattooing from the neighboring Ainu tribe living in the Japanese archipelago. The meanings of Japanese tattoos were not varied. In ancient Chinese chronicles, the inhabitants of the country of Wa (Japan) are mentioned, who adorned themselves with tattoos indicating their social status.

Often wearable ornaments were applied with a decorative purpose. A few centuries later (in the 11th-20th centuries), the tattoo acquired a negative meaning. It began to be used to brand criminals, as well as people from the untouchable caste, whose activities were considered criminal from a Buddhist point of view - executioners, gravediggers, butchers. The last on the forearm was a cross or a line.

The criminals were tattooed on the forehead in the form of the hieroglyph "dog", on the right hand - a double ring, on the left shoulder - a circle. Each locality had its own stigma, so it was easy to find out exactly where a person had committed a crime. In Japan, the owner of the shameful stigma became the object of popular persecution, which was the hardest and most humiliating punishment. Therefore, the criminals tried to get rid of this sign as quickly as possible.

The craftsmen applied new lines next to the brand, merging them into one new, more complex masking ornament. According to one version, it was this time that can be considered the beginning of the birth of tattoo art. The tattooists of that era had to show special skill so that the shameful stigma was lost against the background of the general pattern.

In the Middle Ages in Japan, a ban was imposed on irezumi. This was due to the fact that at that time the population was strictly divided into classes: samurai, artisans, peasants, etc.

For each class, their permissible types of housing, clothing, hairstyles, entertainment, etc. were strictly defined. Violation of the prescriptions was prosecuted by law. And since underwear drawings were not included in the established framework, they fell under an official ban. However, the art of decorating the body has not completely disappeared.

By the end of the 17th century, tattoos were very popular with members of the lower strata of society - actors, firefighters, professional players, merchants, day laborers, geisha, yakuza. Among the latter, irezumi ornaments became a kind of identification mark, therefore, for a long time, tattooed people were bypassed. Because of the ban, people had to hide underwear drawings.

As a result, the Japanese tattoo has acquired a new feature. The tattoo was applied in such a way that it was not visible from under the clothes characteristic of each class. Irezumi was applied to the entire body, except for the exposed parts of the arms, legs and middle part of the chest.

A new wave of passion for irezumi falls on the second half of the 18th century. It was at this time that the novel "Suikoden" translated from Chinese became very popular in Japan about the adventures of warriors who united in a gang of robbers and fought for justice. The noble robbers depicted in the illustrations were luxuriously tattooed.

The beginning of the 19th century was marked by the birth of the bourgeoisie. The favorite pastime of this class was visiting the entertainment districts and the kabuki theater.

The addictions of famous actors and courtesans, great admirers of irezumi, could not but affect other people. The popularity of the tattoo grew, and the government was forced to relax the bans. However, by the end of the 19th century, the bans were tightened again, since, according to the government, foreigners could be shocked by the sight of painted locals.

This would create misconceptions about the country. But quite unexpectedly, representatives of other countries became interested in this ancient art. Since the bans applied only to the Japanese, the craftsmen had no end to clients: visiting sailors, travelers, businessmen. The passion for original Japanese art also affected high-ranking persons, among whom were the Duke of York (future English King George V) and Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov (future Russian Emperor Nicholas II), who returned home with a model of the famous master Horite.

Despite being very popular all over the world Japanese style, at home, this ancient art gradually fell into decay. Even the final lifting of the ban after World War II did not help to fully restore the irezumi.

Many secrets of the ancient masters were lost, they were replaced by new technologies. Their use, however, did not allow multi-color tattoos to be reproduced in all their glory. Nevertheless, in our time, the Japanese tattoo, which is distinguished by its brilliance, volume, depth and color fastness, is still very popular. It is even considered a separate area of ​​​​tattoo art.

And since the original meaning of many symbolic images has been lost, most of the drawings are applied with a purely decorative purpose. As for the plots and motifs of irezumi, it should be said that almost from its very appearance, Japanese tattoos carried certain information.

For example, in ancient times, a body ornament spoke of the social affiliation of the owner of a tattoo. Later, love and religious tattoos began to appear.

The former were most often made as a sign eternal love and devotion. Religious tattoos were worn by adherents of the Buddhist faith. These were images of the Buddha, the saints of the Buddhist pantheon, most often the goddess of mercy Kannon. Often, men created whole pictures on their bodies on religious subjects: the legendary protector kings of Nio, the sacred guardians of hell Fudo, whose image was supposed to scare away evil spirits.

However, tattoos with floral ornaments, as well as images of animals and images on mythical themes, have always been the most popular.

Among the tattoos with floral ornaments, the images of favorite Japanese plants were the most common: a peony flower, symbolizing health and well-being, chrysanthemums - stamina and determination, cherry blossoms - transience, illusory life. Of the animals, the clients gave the most preference to images of turtles, tigers, carps, snakes, dragons, which were symbols of masculinity, wisdom, perseverance, longevity and strength. Interaction with Western culture could not but be reflected in the theme of irezumi.

However, it should be said that the prison theme, however, like any other that carries a charge of aggressiveness, did not take root among the Japanese, even among the yakuza mafiosi.

It is worth adding that the Japanese do not use hieroglyphs, although some Western masters mistakenly believe so, far from a deep knowledge of Eastern philosophy in general and the Japanese worldview in particular. Perhaps the main feature Japanese school body painting lies in the fact that the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun have always preferred to make large-scale plot paintings or ornaments on their bodies that cover almost the entire body. The Japanese do not use separate drawings and inscriptions, believing that only a single image does not interfere with perception. W

and a long history in Japan has developed its own technique of tattooing. Japanese masters have a whole set of tattoo tools called "hari". The set includes up to 15 devices, consisting of bundles of steel needles fixed in a wooden handle (from 2 to 10 pieces). Each of them is designed for specific jobs.