The History Of Aztec Tattoos

manus91 — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:18:12 +0000

There were many ancient cultures that showed art through tattoos. The Aztec group was one of the most advanced when it come to body art, they were known for their creative art skills and produced some brilliant Aztec tattoo designs as a result. The Aztec culture was based in tradition, including the arts and education, as well as various ceremonial and religious practices. They held many different designs and symbols as sacred, as many cultures have held their art. Art was extremely important to the Aztecs. Aztec style of art was quite distinct from its neighbors, and this can clearly be seen in the designs that are used for the tattoos, Aztec Tattoos grew from both the religious and cultural aspects of their society.

Aztec society was extremely structured and had an exacting social and spiritual code which dominated their daily lives. Tattoos played a large role in the ancient Aztec culture as well. Tattoos were often used in rituals, such as those dedicated to the gods Uitzilopochtle , Cuauhtli or Quahtli. These tattoos were drawn onto the bodies of children (put their tattoos in specific locations on their bodies, each location has a meaning and was considered to be important) in order to show the children’s devotion to this god. Every Aztec tattoo was done in a specific symbolic pattern, depending on the god being honored.

Aztec Tattoos Today

Aztec Tattoos, more than any other, are a reflection of a people their society and their culture, Modern Aztec Tattoos follow the traditional cultural styles as they would have been at the height of the Aztec Empire’s power in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the Late post Classic period in Mesoamerican chronology. Many Aztec tattoos are based around themes of the sun. The sun was considered to be sacred to the Aztecs, because it was seen as being the harbinger of life. The Aztec calendar was based around the sun as well, and many images from these calendars include a sun with grim facial features. Some imagery used in Aztec tattoos has lost its meaning, because the Aztecs didn’t write using our alphabet. Instead, they adapted an ancient language known as Nahuatl to describe some of the symbols, and this language has not been fully translated to this day.

If you’ve decided to get an authentic Aztec tattoo which is great as I’m sure it defines your personal taste, there are several resources you can use to find a good design that’s suitable. Below are some of the best websites that can help you out in the quest for a perfect Aztec Tattoo Design:

• The Wikipedia offers a large amount of information about Aztec culture.

• WARVOX.COM offers a big collection of Aztec Mayan and also Inca tattoo designs.

• The Tattoo Gallery of Designs offers hundreds of different Aztec images.

• LuckyFish Art offers south American art for your new tattoo.

Once you’ve chosen an image for your Aztec tattoo, it’s a good idea to check in with your tattoo shop, obviously you should do all the things you would normally do before getting a Tattoo with regard to checking out the Tattoo Studio and the artist, especially if it’s your first tattoo. Many tattoo artists are more than happy to try their hand at creating a type of tattoo they haven’t worked with before.

Finding the right design will definitely make you and others admire it more. Cultural tattoos, such as Aztec themed tattoos, are a great way to show off your heritage or interest in a magnificent culture.

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AZTEC MAYAN & INCA TATTOO T-SHIRTS

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