With the current resurgent trend in tribal tattoos, its surprising that African tattoos are not much more common in the western world of body art designs. However as beautiful as African Tribal designs are, do you understand the meanings behind them?

Well here are five facts that explore some of the lesser know ideals behind African Tribal Tattoo designs:

Fact 1

Some African body art are drawn to give the wearer protection from harm, the symbolism in the images guarding them throughout life.

Fact 2

African body art were never meant to be merely drawings for bodily decoration. They are drawn so that the wearer of the art can take on an almost Supernatural state. Given the term scarification, represent a way for the wearer to appear more than human.

Fact 3

African scarification or tattooing, often uses symbols that reflect the wearers character, and is used as proof of courage and braver; which are the things one needs to undergo the painful application of the body art.

Fact 4

The first African tattoo found was dated back to a mummy in 1994 BC, although it is estimated that there are tattoos dating back to 2000BC; and images showing Egyptian High Priestesses with tattooed arms have been found.

Fact 5

There is a type of body art that is done by those in Africa whose skin is generally too dark for regular tattoo coloration to appear. It is called cicatrisation and it works by opening a small part of the skin to create a designed wound. They then rub ash into the wound so that when it heals, it results in a permanent raised scar.