Adorning your body with tattoos is by no means a new phenomenon. In fact, it has been done for thousands of years all around the world. According to Cate Lineberry in a piece for Smithsonian.com, “these permanent designs—sometimes plain, sometimes elaborate, always personal—have served as amulets, status symbols, declarations of love, signs of religious beliefs, adornments and even forms of punishment.” In ancient civilizations tattoos were thought to reduce pain, in other cultures they were seen as a way to celebrate life. They have been connected with everything from mourning to fertility, depending on the religion, culture and time period.
