In Search of History - Art of Tattooing (History Channel) - Tattooing is a universal human practice. The Ainu, the indigenous people of Japan, wore facial tattoos. Tattooing was widespread among Polynesian peoples, and in the Philippines, Borneo, Africa, North America, South America, Mesoamerica, Europe, Japan, and China.

Tattooing has been a Eurasian practice since Neolithic times. “Ötzi the Iceman”, dated circa 3300 BC, bearing 57 tattoos: a cross on the inside of the left knee, six straight lines 15 centimeters long above the kidneys and numerous small parallel lines along the lumbar, legs and the ankles, exhibiting possible therapeutic tattoos (treatment of arthritis). Tarim Basin (West China, Xinjiang) revealed several tattooed mummies of a Western (Western Asian/European) physical type. Still relatively unknown (the only current publications in Western languages are those of J P. Mallory and V H. Mair, The Tarim Mummies, London, 2000), some of them could date from the end of the 2nd millennium BCE.

Three tattooed mummies (c. 300 BCE) were extracted from the permafrost of Altaï in the second half of the 20th century (the Man of Pazyryk, during the 1940s; one female mummy and one male in Ukok plateau, during the 1990s). Their tattooing involved animal designs carried out in a curvilinear style. The Man of Pazyryk, a Scythian chieftain, is tattooed with an extensive and very detailed range of animals, monsters and a series of dots that lined up along the spinal column (lumbar region) and around the right ankle ..

I actually watched this without sound.. found it to be really beautifully done:

The Body Art Book: A Complete Illustrated Guide to Tattoos, Piercings and Other Body Modifications - 8 pages of photos and a worldwide directory.

This is the first fully comprehensive, illustrated guide to body art in all its forms.

This is the only reference source available that explores every step of the process.

This is the definitive guide for choosing style and placement, finding the right artist, ensuring safety and proper care, and even correcting or removing unwanted body art.

About the Author
Jean-Chris Miller is the Editorial Director of Art & Ink Enterprises, overseeing production of the magazines Skin Art, Tattoo Review, Tattoos for Men, Tattoos for Women, In the Flesh, Art Alternatives, Outlaw Biker, and Girls of Outlaw Biker. She has written extensively on the subjects of tattooing, piercing, and other forms of body art. –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

And just for fun:

The Sketchbook: 80 Unique Designs by the World’s Finest Tattoo Artists - The artistic versatility of tattoo artists has frequently been overshadowed by the negativity that surrounds tattooing in general. Many tattoos are made by would-be artists who copy overused designs. A perfectly tattooed body requires the skills of a professional and talented artist, who creates a unique and personal design. These designs are often inspired by one or more of the various tattoo styles of Japanese, Maori or other tribal origin. “The Sketchbook” offers the reader a selection of 80 of these unique designs by well-known and less famous, but very promising, tattoo artists from around the world. Each artist was requested to create a sketch unrestrained by commercial demands and which reflects their own personal motivations.

The book is divided into two sections: the first comprises an explanation of how this collection was brought together, along with a brief illustrated overview of the history and various styles of tattooing. The second section is devoted to the artists, each sketch being accompanied by a biography and favorite quote.

The concept of this book was developed by Marco Bratt, a tattoo artist from The Netherlands, and his partner, Germanborn lifestyle photographer Nancy Heimburger, who also wrote the introductory chapter.

16 Tool Body Piercing Tool Kit - This 16 tool body piercing kit contains the following 16 tools in a zippered case: Stainless Steel Mini Standard Pennington Tip Forceps, Stainless Steel Mini Slotted Pennington Tip Forceps, Stainless Steel Standard Pennington Tip Forceps, Stainless Steel Slotted Pennington Tip Forceps, Stainless Steel Slotted Foerster Forceps: 6″ (Tongue), Stainless Steel Standard Foerster Forceps (Tongue), Stainless Steel Slotted Foerster Forceps (Navel), Stainless Steel Mini Slotted Foerster Forceps (Navel), Stainless Steel Bead Holding Tweezers, Stainless Steel Ring Closing Pliers - Large, Stainless Steel Ring Closing Pliers - Small, Stainless Steel Straight Surgical Forceps, Stainless Steel Professional Septum Forceps, Stainless Steel Reverse Pennington Tip Forceps, Stainless Steel Ring Opening Pliers - Small 5 in., Stainless Steel Ring Opening Pliers - X-Large 8 in.

Body Piercing: A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography and Annotated Research Guide to Internet References - In March 2001, the National Institutes of Health issued the following warning: “The number of Web sites offering health-related resources grows every day. Many sites provide valuable information, while others may have information that is unreliable or misleading.” Furthermore, because of the rapid increase in Internet-based information, many hours can be wasted searching, selecting, and printing.This book was created for medical professionals, students, and members of the general public who want to conduct medical research using the most advanced tools available and spending the least amount of time doing so.

This is a 3-in-1 reference book. It gives a complete medical dictionary covering hundreds of terms and expressions relating to body piercing. It also gives extensive lists of bibliographic citations. Finally, it provides information to users on how to update their knowledge using various Internet resources. The book is designed for physicians, medical students preparing for Board examinations, medical researchers, and patients who want to become familiar with research dedicated to body piercing.

If your time is valuable, this book is for you. First, you will not waste time searching the Internet while missing a lot of relevant information. Second, the book also saves you time indexing and defining entries. Finally, you will not waste time and money printing hundreds of web pages.

Tattoo Goo Jumbo Goo and Tattoo Rejuvenator Kit -

• Tattoo Goo Salve heals the skin but does not pull ink out
• Color Guard Tattoo Rejuvenating Spray has SPF 30 with Aloe, Cucumber and other Herbs to renew, revitalize and protect your tattoo
• Deep Cleansing Soap protects the tattoo or piercing with a pH balanced, antibacterial and antimicrobial formula
• Tattoo Goo is the original pharmacist developed BodyArt Aftercare product line
• Great Gift Item!

FREE Tattoo Goo Lotion 2 oz. with purchase- $5.99 Retail Value. Protect and rejuvenate your new and existing tattoos with this Jumbo Value Kit. Use the salve to promote faster healing time, the soap to remove dirt and dead skin cells, and the spray to renew, revitalize and protect your tattoos. Tattoo Goo Jumbo Goo & Tattoo Rejuvenator Kit #542: One Tattoo Goo Healing & Skin Care Treatment Salve 1.5 oz. AND one Tattoo Goo Deep Cleansing Soap 3 oz. AND one Color Guard Tattoo Rejuvenating Spray 2 oz.

• cyberpunkreview.com » Experiences in Body Modification
  More on the use of magnets in body modification
  (tags: body+modification magnet+implants)
• Technoccult: occult and fringe culture blog
  High-tech Implants Aren’t the Future of Body Modification
  (tags: body+art body+modification)
• Pure Body Arts
  Some absolutely beautiful tattoo work from artist Lizzie Renaud
  (tags: Tattoo Tattoo+Art Lizzie+Renaud)
• Body Modification Goes High-Tech: Magnet Implants - Gizmodo
  What happens when you place a body modification artist and a neuroscientist in a room?
  (tags: body+modification body+art magnet+implants)
• Mentawai: The tattooed village - Tattoo Blog
  In Mentawai, Indonesia, the art of tattooing is more than a phenomenon. The fact that practically everybody here is tattooed proves this.
  (tags: body+art Tattoo Tattoo+Art Indonesia Mentawai)
• Fashiontribes.com: Tattoos
  Embroidery Tattoos - - Embroider your towels! This ain’t yo’ grandmas stitching
  (tags: Tattoo Tattoo+Art)

Every once in awhile, I think I will like to highlight some blogs who are blogging about body modification, whether it’s tattoos, piercings or other forms of body art.

Today, I checked out one of my favorite kink blogs over at Gloria Brame’s site. I thought for sure she would have some wonderful posts on body modification.

Alas - she does have a body modification category, but sadly - it only contains two posts…and hasn’t been updated since February 2005 (boo!).

But - they are great posts with interesting photos - you can find them both here and here - - especially that last one! I won’t drink a glass of water without thinking about this one!

Maybe Gloria will get in the body mod mood again someday and post some more of these gems!

Bushido : Legacies of the Japanese Tattoo - This gorgeous book delves into the elusive world of traditional Japanese tattooing. The Samurai spirit, Bushido, is an integral component of Japanese tattooing that is traced through the imagery and interpersonal dynamics of this veiled subculture. The eloquent text is based largely on Takahiro Kitamuras experiences as client and student of the famed Japanese tattoo master, Horiyoshi III. Over 200 beautiful photos by Jai Tanju capture the breathtaking tattoo artistry of Horiyoshi III. Five original, unpublished prints by Horiyoshi III, like those in his acclaimed book, 100 Demons of Horiyoshi III, are included here. Bushido: Legacies of the Japanese Tattoo is certain to fascinate everyone with an interest in tattoo culture.

Takahiro Kitamura, who tattoos as Horitaka, currently resides and works in California. Katie Kitamura is pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of London. Jai Tanju is a photographer in San Jose, California.

Tattooing, piercing, henna art . . . these are all forms of what we call ‘body art’. Artistic expression in the form of body art is less shocking than it was a decade ago.. less shocking than it was 5 years ago… and becomes less and less shocking to the ‘mainstream’ as time goes on. Society has begun to accept body art as a form of artistic expression - - the body as the canvas.

Acceptable art has over the years evolved from being on paper, to canvas and even on walls, through to being on the human body.

Once associated with mean bikers on mean machines, jailbirds and hardcore gangsters, tattooing is now a fashion must-have and has lost its dodgy edge.

Messages of love or hatred for your mother-in-law, drawings of insects and sentences describing your private fantasies can adorn any part of the body.

Letting your body be your canvas - Independant Online News

Traditional Henna Designs - Henna body decoration is generally practiced on festive occasions, religious ceremonies, most notably, weddings. In all cultures that practice henna painting it is the hands and feet that are commonly decorated; for weddings the designs can extend onto the arms and legs. Design motifs vary from culture to culture. For instance, North African Henna Designs tend to be geometric or composed from highly stylized flowers. Indian designs are usually drawn within a square, rectangle or circle which is then surrounded by a myriad of smaller patterns that cover the hands and lower arms, the feet and ankles. Motifs are taken from a vast Indian decorative vocabulary: Moghul flowers, Paisly patters, complicated tendril designs, stars, vines, spirals, leaves, checkerboards, water drops and waves.

Kiss Me, I’m a Piercer

Who doesn’t need one of these? The perfect gift for your favorite piercer!

James Lambert from AgapePress (reliable news from a Christian source) - wonders why people would do it: I feel compelled to ask: Why? Before you go down to the local tattoo parlor or visit a body piercing practitioner, ask yourself: “Can I really see this on me for the rest of my life? Or will this form of ‘expression’ later hurt me?”

Along with that gem of wisdom (as if any of us aren’t already asking ourselves that very question the moment we decide to get a piercign or a tattoo) - James also offers this one: “Ask God - that’s always the best way to get direction.”

I asked god for world peace once. God didn’t answer. What makes me think god will concern himself with my trivial question about piercing? Heh.

In other news, Kimberly Dreiman from the American Chronicle believes that tattoos and body piercings are “are a way for Satan to mock what God has created”. She further states that they are not pleasing to the lord.

She quotes Leviticus 19:28 “Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves, I am the Lord.”

It is interesting, in this context, to read what other verses Leviticus 19 has to say:

Verse 9: “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.”

Verse 19: “Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.”

Verse 26: “Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.”

Verse 27: “Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.”

Verse 28: “Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.”

Which means, of course, we are not pleasing to the lord if we garden the edge of our land, plant tomatoes AND cucumbers in our garden at the same time, wear linen and silk simultaneously, eat our steaks rare or medium rare, cut our hair (or for you men - shave your face) AND/OR get a tattoo.

We’re doomed, I say.

Spirit+Flesh - In the author’s own words from his website: “If you’ve ever seen my photographs in “Modern Primitives”, “Body Play” magazine or on television programs, you must get a copy of this new coffee table art book. After 50 years photographing my own body play and the play of others, here is a deluxe retrospective collection of amazing images you’ll find nowhere else… 296 oversize pages, three pounds worth! This book is a “must have” for all serious body modifiers, tattoo and piercing studios. A collectors item.”