The History of Tattooing

You get back to Kunsten pa Kroppen -  The Art on the Body general Tattoo web site by clicking the logo on top

Here is a photo of my Tattoo Equipment:

You may click the individual things to get a description.

The equipment consists of:

1. Rubber gloves - we always use new gloves for each customer. Up again
   
2. Sticks for tattooing the Polynesian way. The needles are attached to the stick with the magic runes, and the other stick is used to beat the first one with. The sound this creates, is what gave the name: Tattooing.
   The name is from Tahiti, and Captain Cook, the first European to discover the Pacific Ocean, brought the name to Europe, and from there it has spread to most languages. Up again.
   
3. Modern electric tattoo machine. Up again
   
4. Hand tattoo tool. We use this a lot for motives that are well suited for tattooing by hand. Like petroglyphic designs. Up again
   
5. Little colour cups. Disposable. Up again
   
6. Cup of Vaseline. Disposable. Up again
   
7. Sterilized needle tube (for the tattoo machine). Up again
   
8. Sterilized needle. Always use new, sterilized needles for each new customer. Up again

The Tattoo Machine
The tattoo machine is a sensitive machine. Never refer to the tattoo machine as a gun. It is not a weapon. It may be compared to a musical instrument like a guitar or a violin, and needs to be strummed or fine-tuned every time it is being used.

I have also practiced tattooing by hand. In the 'good old days' before electricity, tattooing was done by hand. Ever since the bronze age, metal needles has been used. And before that time, for instance thorns were used or even flint stones.

  Here I am tattooing with a small flint stone

Here I am using the old Inuit technique of 'sewing' the tattoo on using needle and thread.

You can read more about this under the different years in Lejre under 'News'.