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These days, you might look around and see a lot of people with tattoos. In modern history, the practice, not so long ago associated with criminals, is now extremely common. Some argue that the tattoo has been normalized and is generally accepted in most countries, professions, and contexts. But no matter how much the art may appear to be trending, tattoos are not a new thing. Human beings have been tattooed for thousands of years, holding different significance and meaning for different groups of people. Historically, the practice has been used as a form of punishment, a way to declare love for another, a marker of status or particular religion, among other reasons. Today, tattoos are largely aesthetic.
So which countries have the most tattoos among their population? Do you think yours makes the list? Click on to find out.
Ancient Siberian nomads, indigenous groups throughout North and South America, the Nubians, and the Greeks, too, all have rich histories of tattoos.
According to an archaeology researcher at the University of York, Joann Fletcher, one of the oldest civilizations to have tattoos was the ancient Egyptians. Mummies discovered throughout the region have evidence of tattoos, particularly female mummies.
Mummies from 4000-3500 BCE had a number of tattoos on their bodies, especially limbs. Tools likely used for tattooing were discovered in the northern Egyptian town of Gurob, dating back to around 1450 BCE.
These markings were often attributed to those engaging in sex work to "protect" women against sexually transmitted diseases, both as a therapeutic function and as an amulet.
Other theories posit that tattoos were used to safeguard pregnant women in advance of the birth, as some tattoos were found on women’s thighs and abdomens.
In 1991, the oldest human being, dubbed Ötzi the Iceman, was found mummified near the Italian-Australian border. Ötzi’s body, more than 5,000 years old, was inked. Pictured is a 3D recreation of the mummified body.
Ötzi’s mummified body contained a number of randomly distributed tattoos. But were the so-called random locations of his tattoos random at all? Pictured is an anthropologist sculptor recreating Ötzi.
Dotted tattoos and small crosses were found on his joints and lower spine. Some people believe these areas, where there is increased “strain-induced degeneration,” correspond to acupuncture points; therefore, with the idea that these tattoos were meant to be therapeutic.
While few communities use tattoos for therapeutic purposes today, many still use tattoos to symbolically represent something meaningful in their lives, or even reference a specific belief system.
Tattoos remain on the rise, with no sign of slowing down. Certain countries, undoubtedly, are more accepting of tattoos than others. So, which countries have the highest rate of tattoos in the world?
In 10th place is France. According to a study conducted by Dalia Research, 36% of France’s population has at least one tattoo. In the 16th century, French voyagers considered those with tattoos to be uncivilized.
In the 19th century, the nation used tattoos to mark criminals with a scorching hot iron. Criminals were marked with a specific code that would identify them as such. Today, the practice is purely aesthetic.
Ranked ninth on the list of nations with the most tattoos is Brazil, in which 37% of the nation’s population has at least one tattoo. Indigenous groups in the country have been using the art of tattooing for thousands of years.
Modern tattooing practices in Brazil came with waves of immigrants from Europe, North America, and the Middle East, particularly toward the end of the 19th century.
Ranked eighth on the list is the United Kingdom, where a whopping 40% of the nation’s population is inked. According to an exhibition featured in The National Maritime Museum, Brits have been getting inked regularly since the 1870s.
Art historian Matt Lodder argues that it is a misunderstanding that tattoos were more common among criminals in the UK; rather, it was a practice that colonists brought back from their encounters with populations in the East Indies.
The nation with the seventh most tattooed population in the world is Denmark, as 41% of the population has tattoos. The history of tattooing in Denmark goes back to the 19th century, particularly among sailors.
In fact, at the beginning of the 20th century, the Copenhagen harbor area of Nyhavn was the only place in Scandinavia where people could get inked; a little-known fact about the area.
Ranked sixth on the list is the Iberian nation of Spain, where 42% of the population has tattoos. According to researcher Julia Amigo, the history of tattooing in Spain owes a great deal to Spanish women.
Following the fall of the Spanish dictatorship, Spanish women sought to express their bodily autonomy and resist traditional perceptions of femininity. Amigo argues that it was largely an act of resistance that drove Spanish women to get inked.
The nation listed fifth on the list of nations with the most tattoos is Argentina.
Historically, indigenous communities, and particularly women, had a great deal of tattoos. Girls as young as five received forehead tattoos, later receiving more tattoos to mark puberty and “eligibility for marriage.”
Ranked fourth on the list is Australia, where 43% of the population jas tattoos. Australian Indigenous communities have a rich history of using tattoos to decorate their bodies.
Samoan tribes had extensive tattoo practices that took months to complete, especially on the lower limbs. Using a special kind of comb with pointed ends, the tool would pierce the skin, inserting ink.
Māori tribes were known for their facial tattoos, using a technique called the ‘moko.’ Each design was personalized for the individual based on their specific facial characteristics, accentuating existing facial features and lines.
The United States ranks third on the list, with 46% of the population having at least one tattoo. In 1846, Martin Hildebrandt set up a tattoo shop in New York City. Can you guess who his main clientele was?
Hildebrandt created a tradition of tattooing sailors and military people. During World War II, tattoos of naked women were no longer allowed in the Navy, so many had to make changes by ‘dressing’ the women in nurse uniforms.
Ranking second on the list is Sweden. According to the study, 47% of Swedes have at least one tattoo. Much like in other parts of the world, Swedish sailors were responsible for bringing body art back home.
At the turn of the 20th century, tattoos were associated with those “on the fringes of society,” but by the 1980s, the practice went mainstream and was viewed as a vehicle for personal expression.
The country with the most tattooed population is Italy, as 48% of Italians have at least one tattoo. One of Italy’s tattoo pioneers is a man by the name of Giulio Tomasselli, who is one of the founders of the National Association of Italian Tattoo Artists.
One of Tomasselli’s proteges encourages people not to approach tattoos with pure aesthetic, but instead, to go to different places, whether a museum or a church, and find inspiration in meaningful symbols.
Sources: (The Conversation) (Revista Pesquisa) (Huck Magazine) (The Copenhagen Post) (PBS) (Lars Krutak) (Beneath the Skin) (I Love India) (The Florentine)
See also: Irezumi: the art of traditional Japanese tattooing
Getting inked: countries whose citizens have the most tattoos
Where are more people getting inked?
LIFESTYLE Body art
These days, you might look around and see a lot of people with tattoos. In modern history, the practice, not so long ago associated with criminals, is now extremely common. Some argue that the tattoo has been normalized and is generally accepted in most countries, professions, and contexts. But no matter how much the art may appear to be trending, tattoos are not a new thing. Human beings have been tattooed for thousands of years, holding different significance and meaning for different groups of people. Historically, the practice has been used as a form of punishment, a way to declare love for another, and as a marker of status or particular religion, among other reasons. Today, tattoos are largely aesthetic.
So, which countries have the most tattoos among their population? Do you think yours makes the list? Click on to find out.