A Brief History of Tattoo The history of tattoo dates back to 3000 BC or beyond, the oldest example of a tattoo is Otzi the Iceman, his body bears the oldest examples of tattoo and was found frozen in the Alps and was discovered in 1991. The origin of the word tattoo comes from the Polynesian word 'ta', which means to strike something, but it also comes from the Tahitian word 'tatau' which means to mark something. Polynesia is known for its intricate tattoos and is considered the country with the most skilled tattoo history in the ancient world. In Polynesia the location of a tattoo and the symbol that represents it is very important since tattoos are a demonstration of a person's manna, which is his spiritual power, they are also a way to show a person's character, making men more attractive in the eyes of the public. women. Over the course of an individual's life geometric tattoos are added to their body until they cover it completely, these tattoos are renewed throughout their life so that none fade or disappear but before getting tattooed a person had to experience a long period of cleaning , during this period a person was not allowed any contact with the opposite sex, he also had to fast for a certain period of time. In Samoa the tattoo tradition shows your rank and title, tattoo ceremonies for young leaders, normally taking place at the onset of puberty, are key parts in their journey to becoming leaders, these tattoos celebrate their loyalty to traditions cultural. Tattoo masters are very important in Polynesian tattoo culture, they know the meanings behind some tattoos and know how to create more meanings by combining tattoos, sea creatures are the most common symbol in Polynesian tattoos. Tattoo styles v......center of the card......symbols representing luck are HOLD FAST, this reminds you to hold on tight to the ropes when the ship encounters bad weather, a pig and a rooster, this it is tattooed on the feet or behind the ankles and represents the survival of a shipwreck because both animals are usually kept on board in wooden crates, the crates float and wash up on shore after the ship has sunk, double propellers, these would be tattooed on the cheeks of sailors and are said to push you ashore if you are drowning, a swallow, this represents the ability to always find your way home and finally a nautical star, this serves as a guide to hope and represents the North Star. These symbols are now not only worn by sailors, many people choose to get these symbols tattooed even if they have no connection to the sea, tattoo culture nowadays is more about design and less about symbolism..