Style & Modification Gallery

Answer Key with Detailed Explanations

1. TRUE - Ötzi the Iceman, discovered in the Alps in 1991, had approximately 61 tattoos on his body. Scientists believe these tattoos were therapeutic, placed on areas where he suffered from joint pain and arthritis. This makes them over 5,300 years old, proving that tattooing is one of humanity's oldest practices.
2. FALSE - The word "tattoo" comes from the Polynesian word "tatau," which means "to strike" or "to mark." Captain Cook and his crew brought this word back to Europe in the 1770s. Before this, Europeans used terms like "pricking" or "marking" to describe the practice.
3. TRUE - The Romans called these marks "stigmata" and used them to brand criminals, slaves, and prisoners of war. This was a way to permanently identify and shame individuals. Interestingly, early Christians were sometimes forcibly tattooed by Romans, which contributed to negative views of tattoos in Christian Europe for centuries.
4. FALSE - In Polynesian cultures, tattoos (called "tatau" or "pe'a") were sacred and held enormous significance. They indicated social rank, family lineage, achievements, and spiritual protection. Getting traditional tattoos involved painful ceremonies that could take weeks or months, and not everyone was allowed to receive certain designs. The patterns told the story of a person's life.
5. TRUE - Captain James Cook's three voyages to the Pacific (1768-1779) exposed Europeans to Polynesian tattooing practices. His crew members returned with tattoos, and Cook brought back a heavily tattooed Polynesian man named Omai who became famous in London society. This sparked European fascination with tattoos, though they remained controversial for many years.
6. FALSE - Captain Cook made three major voyages to the Pacific, not twelve. His first voyage (1768-1771) went to Tahiti and New Zealand. His second (1772-1775) explored the South Pacific and Antarctic. His third voyage (1776-1779) took him to Hawaii, where he died in 1779 during a conflict with native Hawaiians.
7. TRUE - In Japan, tattoos (irezumi) have a complicated history. They were used as punishment for criminals during the Edo period, with marks placed on visible areas like the forehead or arms. Later, elaborate full-body tattoos became popular, but they became strongly associated with the yakuza (Japanese organized crime). Even today, many Japanese bathhouses and pools ban people with visible tattoos.
8. FALSE - After World War II, tattoos had a terrible reputation in Western countries. They were associated with sailors, prisoners, bikers, and criminals. Newspapers reported stories about infections and blood poisoning from unsanitary tattoo practices. Respectable people avoided tattoos, and having visible tattoos could prevent you from getting certain jobs. This negative view began changing slowly in the 1980s-1990s.
9. TRUE - Archaeological evidence shows that many ancient cultures used tattoos for purposes beyond decoration. Ancient Egyptians used tattoos for therapeutic and spiritual protection. Some indigenous cultures used them in healing rituals. Ötzi's tattoos were located on points similar to acupuncture sites, suggesting medical treatment. Warriors in various cultures wore tattoos for protection in battle and to intimidate enemies.
10. FALSE - Tattoos are legal in most countries around the world today, though regulations vary. Some countries require tattoo artists to be licensed, and there are usually age restrictions (typically 18+). A few countries like Iran and some conservative Islamic nations discourage or restrict tattoos for religious reasons. In Japan, while legal, some establishments ban entry to people with visible tattoos due to their yakuza associations.
11. FALSE - Archaeological evidence, including tattooed female mummies from ancient Egypt, shows that women were also tattooed. Tattoos on women were often associated with fertility, protection during childbirth, and religious rites.
12. TRUE - The Māori people of New Zealand have a rich tradition of facial tattooing called "Tā moko." These intricate designs are unique to the individual and convey information about their ancestry, status, and achievements.
13. TRUE - During the Victorian era, tattooed individuals, particularly women, became popular attractions in circuses and sideshows. They would tell elaborate, often fictional, stories about how they received their tattoos, capitalizing on public curiosity.
14. FALSE - The first electric tattoo machine was invented by Samuel O'Reilly in 1891, based on Thomas Edison's electric pen. This invention revolutionized tattooing by making it much faster and more precise than traditional hand-poking methods.
15. TRUE - For many Native American tribes, tattoos were a significant cultural practice. They could signify tribal identity, spiritual power, or commemorate important life events and personal achievements, such as acts of bravery in battle.
16. TRUE - Henna is a plant-based dye used to create temporary body art, a practice known as "mehndi." It has been used for centuries in India, the Middle East, and Africa for celebrations like weddings and religious festivals.
17. FALSE - As mentioned earlier, the ancient Greeks and Romans generally viewed tattoos negatively, using them to mark slaves, criminals, and barbarians. Tattoos were seen as a form of punishment and degradation, not a symbol of high status.
18. TRUE - The first professional tattoo studio in the U.S. was opened in New York City in the 1870s by Martin Hildebrandt, a German immigrant who tattooed soldiers during the Civil War.
19. FALSE - Piercing and scarification (deliberately creating scars to form patterns) are ancient forms of body modification, just like tattooing. Evidence of these practices has been found in cultures all over the world, dating back thousands of years.
20. TRUE - In one of the most horrific uses of tattooing, Nazi Germany tattooed identification numbers on the arms of prisoners in concentration camps, most famously at Auschwitz. It was a brutal system of dehumanization and registration.