Tattoos and Body Modification Kelly Orsund Axia College of University of Phoenix December 14th, 2008 While getting a tattoo seems cool remember that it is permanent for the rest of one’s life. Although some people consider this a destruction of God's creation;there are cultures that considered this a Rite of Passage. The history of tattoos and body modification will provide some interesting information from past to present. The history will also provide information about how having a tattoo or some type of body modification was and is a status symbol in cultures all over the world. I will provide information about the Safety Standards that Tattoo shops must abide by in order to operate their businesses. I will also share my own personal experience and reasons for getting tattoos. But more importantly I want the audience to read this essay and have a better understanding of the history and culture of tattoos and body modification. Tattoos have been around for thousands of years, they have served as status symbols, rites of passage, signs of religious beliefs, marriage commitments, to identify prisoners and gang members as well as other group affiliations. Tattoos have been dated as far back as a 5200 year-old Iceman mummy found in 1991 on the Italian-Austrian border. (Cate Lineberry, Smithsonian.com, January 01, 2007) Before the Iceman’s discovery, tattoos were dated back to 2000 B.C. to Egyptian female mummies who had their bodies tattooed. There were other female mummies that had permanent marks that were found in Greco-Roman burials at Akhmim. (Cate Lineberry, Smithsonian.com, January 01, 2007) Back then tattoos were mainly given to females as an identification of their status. Some male excavators assumed that the women were of “dubious status” described as “dancing girls”. (Cate Lineberry, Smithsonian.com, January 01, 2007) Also, female mummies buried at royal burial sites were marked, one in particular Amunet was considered to be a royal...