The Maori tribes in New Zealand used facial tattoos, Moko, to show affiliation to a tribe, individual rank and lineage. Many New Zealanders today are choosing to use both Maori and Celtic tattoo designs to reflect their mixed heritage, although their art work is usually on the body rather than the face.

In Laos, Thailand ‘tattoo trousers’ were used to identify a person’s origins. The ‘trousers’ were also thought to make the ‘wearer’ invulnerable, the lozenge shape also symbolised the female genitals, representing fertility, revitalisation and life itself. Although people in the Western world do not usually opt for tribal cross tattoo art which is just confined to the legs or ‘trouser’ area, the traditional Laotian ‘trousers’ tattoos were from the waist to just below the knees, there are leg tattoos which cover similar areas.

In Burma the body was divided into twelve separate areas, each with its own magical function. Images of animals were tattooed onto the ears and throat, while peacocks, tigers and mythical creatures were tattooed onto the shoulders and arms.

Ancient Egyptian women were tattooed on the hands, feet and face as well as the arms and other parts of the body, including tattoos of bracelets around the upper arm. Upper arm tattoos are increasingly popular in the west, although these are more generally of Celtic designs.

Intricate geometric tattoos were commonly used among peoples of the Philippines, although geometric tattoos are not very popular nowadays as the designs can become distorted and warped by the shape and movement of the skin.

Celtic tribal cross tattoo art can be used to express a person’s Celtic heritage. These tattoos are interwoven lines which represent knots, mazes, spirals and other figures. They are generally tattooed in black and are popular for both women and men as the size can be adapted to suit different parts of the body. Some of the Celtic tribal cross tattoo art has specific meanings, such as the brother symbol which is represented by arrows which denote virility, an arrow can also be found as a sun ray which ancients used to symbolise the warrior.

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For anyone interested in celtic tattos, the Book of kells is a must have. Celtic tattoos normally have a lot of knots and braids and even though beautiful, can be time consuming as the knots have to be gotten right. This is why the most frequently seen Celtic tattoo art is the Celtic knot. Celtic tattoos are usually depicted by unending curves and spirals mostly ending in the head and tails of animals. Ideally, the curves or knots should never have an end. But these days, it is usually terminated at one point with an image, animal figure or an object.

The knots and spirals found in Celtic tattoos represent the bond between the material and spiritual world. It is usually said to denote that there is no difference or separation between the two worlds; that one is an ongoing phase of the other. Most people who go for Celtic tattoo art are of Celtic origin and prefer to go through all the pain and long hours to tattooing just to show how proud they are of their heritage and culture. These days, Celtic tattoo art are seen more readily among the men than in the women. Celtic tattoo art are intriguing because of the spirals and curves; anyone looking steadily at it would get two impressions: the beauty and then the “never ending knots” that seem to draw one in.

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Butterfly tattoos are the first options for ladies who want to have their bodies tattooed for the first time. They are usually found in the back, shoulder, or ankles of women. While all these schools of thoughts vary on their ideas of what a butterfly tattoo art means, it is good to note that not one of them had anything negative to say about it.

Because a butterfly tattoo is always colorful, it is a tattoo that needs a lot of attention so that the figures and beauty are not marred. Therefore, if you are looking to a make a butterfly tattoo, why not visit the library or do a quick search online for the kinds of butterfly that you’d like to have tattooed on your skin. After this, you can then go a see a good butterfly tattoo art expert. If you are still unsure of what you want, you can always ask for their opinions as they do this on a daily basis. This gives them the advantage of knowing what is unique and what everyone is wearing. If you have a friend who would also like to get tattooed, it would be a good idea to have her to him pore over the different butterfly species you have found before deciding on the tattoo of your choice.

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