Body Modification / History of Body Modification

In order to gain a wider understanding of the origins of body modification, I began to research into the history.

"Tattoos are believed to have originated over 10,000 years ago, and the oldest documented tattoo belongs to Otzi the Iceman who died in 3300 B.C and whose body was found in 1991. Tattoos depicting animals and mythical creatures were also found on the mummified bodies of ancient Egyptian people. It is said that some form of tattooing can be found in every inhabited place on Earth but that wasn't always the case."


"Body piercing is another popular form of body modification that has been around for thousands of years. Nose piercings were first recorded approximately 4,000 years ago in the Middle East, and are mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 24:22. Sometime in the 16 ^th century, nose piercing was brought to India from the Middle East. Nose piercings did not appear in the west until the 1960's when hippies traveled to India and brought the trend back to the states. Tongue piercings originated with the ancient Aztecs in the form of a ritual where the tongue was pierced to draw blood for the gods and to create an altered state of consciousness so shamans could communicate with the gods. Lip piercings were also popular among the ancient Aztecs, and were reserved for male members of higher castes. There are also numerous tribes throughout Africa in which pierced lips have a religious signifigance. Tongue piercings are now one of the most popular of all types of piercings. Ear piercings are thought to have originated for magical purposes. Primitive tribes believed that demons and spirits could enter a body through the ear, and these demons and spirits are supposed to be repelled by metal so ears were often pierced. In many societies ear piercing is also done as part of a ritual such as in Borneo where the mother and father each pierce one ear of their child as a symbol that the child depends on their parents. Body piercings, much like tattoos, are becoming more popular with modern culture, and new techniques and procedures are taking the art to a whole new level. Piercers now have the ability to insert surgical implants under the skin, pierce new areas of the body, and perform microdermal anchoring."



"Scarification is a form of body modification that is gaining popularity but is not yet as popular or well known as other types of body modifications. Scarification is defined as the creative or artistic application of scars in a controlled environment to achieve a desired result and appearance. Various types of scarification have been practiced for many years in many different tribes throughout the world but have only recently begun to gain popularity in the west. The goal of scarification is to get a raised scar called a keloid scar, which gives the design a three dimensional appearance. Scarification is most often times used as a rite of passage whether it be during a tribal ceremony, or a personal experience. There are various types of scarifications and different procedures are used to achieve different results. Branding is a type of scarification in which heated metal is applied to the skin to create a serious burn which eventually becomes a scar. While scarification is growing in popularity, it is still not a well known procedure and should be performed by a qualified artist."


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