If this is your first visit you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed and keep up with The Tattooed World. Thanks for visiting!

Ever since Tattoos were done with sharp sticks and a mixture of soot and god knows what, they have been used as a symbol of unity and belonging - a mark of identity to show who and what you are. In the dawn of time they were used for many reasons, now the term ‘Tribal Tattoo’ tends to refer to one or two colour designs that are very stylised, going back to the time when they were used to represent events or to symbolise deities or even bring good fortune.

A Bronze Age man, who died over 5,000 years ago was found in a glacier in Northern Italy, his body was covered in a series of complex and intricate designs that probably represented his beliefs and how he viewed himself. We still use tattoos in the same way - as an expression of who and what we are to the world at large. Tribal tattoos today come from many cultures, Maori, African, Polynesian, Celtic, Asian, Native American and more but their use is not limited to people of that ‘tribe’.

Typically there are done in black ink, with occasional shading in another colour, usually grey. If colour is used, it is just a touch here and there to highlight an element or a shape. Of all the styles of tattoo these are often thought of as the most sculptural, particularly on a well defined body.

More often than not, tribal designs are done on the back or arms though there is a growing trend to have them on legs, especially now that they can be shown off out of work when wearing cut offs or shorts, and covered in the workplace if necessary.

Tribal designs are widely available and can be combined with many other styles to give a unique effect. Any good tattoo artist will be able to help you meld one or more designs into something that will look good on your body. They can also be used to link tattoos that have been done at different times to produce a piece of work that is absolutely unique and a true expression of your personality.