History of Tattoving: The Postmodern Era Meets Archism. Culture of "Modern Primitives"

History of Tattooing: The Postmodern Era meets Archaism. The Culture of "Modern Primitives" dr. Martin Rychlík The presented dissertation concerns tattooing as the main theme - its history, functions, techniques, media presentations, individual motivation and general human attitudes towards decorating (and mutilating) the body. The author, ethnology / social anthropology student Martin Rychlik (Department of Ethnology Charles University in Prague), provides a comprehensive overview of many aspects of tattooing - considered as an universal cultural custom, so far poorely mapped in the Czech republic. Tattooing is a very complex and archaic phenomenon that has roots in the ancient Stone Age. The first direct archaeological proof was found in 1991, in Soelden near the Austro-Italian boarder. The mummified remains of a 5300 year-old hunter/shepherd emerged from a melting glacier and got nickname "Oetzi". Other well known tattooed mummies are the Egyptian Middle kingdom priestess Hathor and the frozen Scythian chief from Pazyryk. Many "primitive" tribes worldwide have adopted tattooing as a means of expression. Among the best documented are those of the Maori, Ainu, Samoans, Dayak, Tahiti islanders, Inuit, South American Indians and nomadic Siberian groups. The first so-called renaissance of tattoo is associated..