The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian "tatu" which means "to mark something."
[align=left]It is believed that the first known tattoo dates back 4,000 years B.C. to the body of a man found preserved in a glacier. Carbon dating and artifacts found near him suggests the man is over 5,300 years old. The skin bears a cross behind one knee and a series of lines above his kidneys, marks that some scientists claim to be the first evidence of tattooing.[/align]
[align=left]Tattoos found on Egyptian and Nubian mummies indicate that the art of tattooing was practiced around 2000 B.C. and as the Egyptian empire expanded, so did the use of tattoos. The ancient Greeks used tattooing for communication among spies, while the Romans used tattoos to mark criminals and slaves.[/align]
[align=left]In Japan, tattoos were also used to mark criminals. First offenses were marked with a line across the forehead. A second crime was marked by adding an arch. A third offense was marked by another line. Together these marks formed the Japanese character for "dog".[/align]
[align=left]In time, the Japanese escalated the tattoo to an aesthetic art form. The Japanese body suit originated around 1700 as a reaction to strict laws. Only royalty were allowed to wear ornate clothing. As a result of this, the middle class adorned themselves with elaborate full body tattoos.[/align]
[align=left]In Europe, Pope Hadrian banned tattooing as a barbaric custom in the 8th century. For roughly 4 centuries after that there was no mention of tattooing. Captain Cook brought news of the practice and the word to Europe after seeing tattoos performed 1771 in Tahiti. Cook refers to the operation called "tattaw", using for the first time the word "tattawing", before this, tattooing has been called painting or staining[/align]