So what about the word tattoo? It is thought that it comes from the Tahitian word "tattau". This word literally means "To mark" which when you think about it, makes sense since a tattoo involves marks on the skin. Way back in the 18th and 19th century Tattoos were rediscovered by Europeans when during their explorations they came across the Polynesians and American Indians who bore tattoos when tattoos were very uncommon in Europe and the United States where they were amazed by the Polynesians and Indians who appeared to be covered in tattoos.

Everybody who gets a tattoo has their own reasons for doing so but these days it is mostly for decoration. The Roman Empire used tattoos to designate status for cerain groups of society. Criminals and slaves had tattoos which showed their status to warn others not to treat them with the respect a freeman would be entitled to.

The reasons people have had tattoos has changed throughout the ages and so have the methods of being tattooed. Pricking was one of the first methods used and later on the process was modified with the use of scratches to add color. Today tattoos are created by puncturing the skin and injecting pigment with a needle. This has always been the method of tattooing used by the Europeans.

Tattoos have a long history but the style of tattoos has always been decided by the ability and knowledge of the tattoo artist The internet is not the first thing you would think of in regard to tattoos but the internet has caused a minor revolution in tattooing because it is now possible to view thousands of printable tattoo designs online. You can browse through thousands of tattoo designs before choosing the and then printing out your perfect design. The prent out of the tatoo can then simply be taken to your tattoo artiist who can then copy the design.