
Tattoos can be dated back to between the fourth to fifth millennium BC, in the Alps. These first tattoos were thought to help in healing since they were found in places usually used for acupuncture, like the lower back, behind the knees and ankles. Some tattoos were also found in Egypt and dated back to the second millennium BC.
Further examples of early tattoos were found on many Pre-Christian groups including the Picts, a confederation of Celtic tribes living in what was later to become eastern and northern Scotland. The Picts were tattooed with dark blue designs.
Tattooing in Japan is thought to have started about ten thousand years ago. Evidence of Japanese tattoos can be found from viewing clay statues that have painted and engraved faces that represent tattoos. These figures can date back to before five thousand BC.




