Since the dawn of humanity, tattoos have been symbols of belonging or self expression. In the beginning, tattoos were applied to the skin using sharp sticks that had been dipped into ashes before being forced under the skin.

When this wound had healed over, a permanent mark remained on the skin. Centuries ago, tattoos were applied to the skin for a variety of reasons. A tribal tattoo usually refers to the kind of tattoo that\’s seen today that resembles the tattoos of the past that were black marks that described any number of things. Some tattoos represented belonging to a specific group or having taken part in a special occurrence like a hunt for creatures, mythological or real. Some of these tribal tattoos described the relationship between humankind and the moon, sun, or elements.

Tattoos were also used to express an individual\’s spiritual, religious, or magical beliefs. The oldest known tattooed body is that of a man that lived and died during the Bronze Age, over 5,000 years ago.

This tattooed man was found in a frozen glacier in Italy. After closely examining the body, researchers discovered that the intricate tattoos depicted mythical creatures. Tribal tattoos provide a link to humanity through the ages, cultures, mythical characters, and animals.

Today, we find tribal tattoos that relate to cultures such as Native American, Indigenous, African, Hawaiian, Samoan, Polynesian, Eskimo, Inuit, Pagan, Celtic, Asian and Tahitian, among others.

Most are designs done completely in black ink or black ink with some shading of gray and white. Color may be found in a tribal tattoo, but it\’s usually used sparingly. Tribal tattoos are popular and can be found on almost any part of the body.

While they are seen on any body part, they are most common on the arms and back. Most tattoo shops have plenty of tribal flash, or designs to choose from. You can also get ideas for a tribal tattoo from tattoo websites, tattoo magazines, or in reports or books about ancient people.

If you want to get really creative, try incorporating a tribal design with a few other elements. For instance, if you\’re a lion according to Chinese astrology and are interested in tribal cultures, you might want to tattoo a lion with a tribal design running through it or surrounding it.

A skilled tattoo artist will know how to incorporate the elements you choose and create a design that unique. There versatility of tribal tattoos, paired with the feeling of being connected that they convey make tribal tattoos popular for tattoo collectors or the person that plans on having a single tattoo. When choosing a tribal tattoo design, take your time and find something reflects your unique style.