| With the current resurgent trend in tribal tattoos, | | | | Fact 3 |
| its surprising that African tattoos are not much | | | | African scarification or tattooing, often uses |
| more common in the western world of body art | | | | symbols that reflect the wearers character, and is |
| designs. However as beautiful as African Tribal | | | | used as proof of courage and braver; which are |
| designs are, do you understand the meanings | | | | the things one needs to undergo the painful |
| behind them? | | | | application of the body art. |
| Well here are five facts that explore some of the | | | | Fact 4 |
| lesser know ideals behind African Tribal Tattoo | | | | The first African tattoo found was dated back to |
| designs: | | | | a mummy in 1994 BC, although it is estimated |
| Fact 1 | | | | that there are tattoos dating back to 2000BC; |
| Some African body art are drawn to give the | | | | and images showing Egyptian High Priestesses |
| wearer protection from harm, the symbolism in | | | | with tattooed arms have been found. |
| the images guarding them throughout life. | | | | Fact 5 |
| Fact 2 | | | | There is a type of body art that is done by |
| African body art were never meant to be merely | | | | those in Africa whose skin is generally too dark |
| drawings for bodily decoration. They are drawn so | | | | for regular tattoo coloration to appear. It is called |
| that the wearer of the art can take on an almost | | | | cicatrisation and it works by opening a small part |
| Supernatural state. Given the term scarification, | | | | of the skin to create a designed wound. They |
| represent a way for the wearer to appear more | | | | then rub ash into the wound so that when it |
| than human. | | | | heals, it results in a permanent raised scar. |