Around 200 years later, far from the barbary pirates, we come to Southeast Asia where the art of tattooing prevails. In 1930, Leonard Woolley discovered small figurines in the Tigris-Euphrates Valley. Woolley described these figurines by notating: "On the shoulders of all (the figurines), both back and front, there are marks which in the painted figures are in black, the others rendered by small attached lumps of clay; these I take to be coarse tattooing.” (“History…” 1) As, it seemed to be, Woolley had discovered this art in yet another culture. Many devout middle-easterners believe that to have tattoos permanently engraved in the skin is wrong and believe it is the work of gypsies. Therefore, many of these middle-eastern cultures actually use Henna. Henna is a temporary dye that is made from the plant called Mhendi and according to Guatama Vajracharya, professor of art history at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Henna was introduced by Muslims. It is said that henna is used to decorate female bodies for ceremonies, especially weddings. Henna became so popular in the middle-east that it started to travel through countries like wildfire, from Iraq to Ireland to America. Eve Day, an artist who applies Henna tattoos professionally, says “People have been painting each other for thousands of years. Henna tattooing is just being reborn in America.” (“The History of Henna…”1) The Arabics just opened the world to a whole new generation of tattoos. Is this the re-birth of art as we know it?
"Tattoo History - Arab Tattoos - History of Tattoos and Tattooing Worldwide." Tattoo Designs & Tattoos Meanings, Celebrity Tattoos, Tattoo Museum, Tattoo Photo Galleries. Web. 28 Apr. 2010.
"The History of Henna Tattoo Design." Essortment Articles: Free Online Articles on Health, Science, Education & More.. Web. 28 Apr. 2010.
Little Figurine. 2010. Photograph. Tattoo History. Tattoo History - Arab Tattoo Images - History of Tattoos and Tattooing Worldwide. Web. 28 Apr. 2010.
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