Tattoo Design Tattoo History and Culture 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Otzi the Iceman, discovered in 1991, is significant in tattoo history because he demonstrates that tattooing dates back at least how far?
- Over 5,000 years (Correct answer)
- 500 years
- 2,000 years
- 10,000 years
Correct answer: Over 5,000 years
Otzi the Iceman, dated to around 3300 BCE, bears 61 tattoos, making him evidence that tattooing is at least 5,300 years old.
Question 2: Who is widely credited with introducing the first electric tattoo machine in the United States in 1891?
- Samuel O'Reilly (Correct answer)
- Martin Hildebrandt
- Norman Collins (Sailor Jerry)
- Cap Coleman
Correct answer: Samuel O'Reilly
Samuel O'Reilly patented the first electric tattoo machine in 1891, adapting Thomas Edison's electric pen into a tattooing device.
Question 3: Which culture is credited with developing the Polynesian tattoo tradition known as 'Pe'a' for men and 'Malu' for women?
- Samoan (Correct answer)
- Hawaiian
- Maori
- Tongan
Correct answer: Samoan
The Pe'a (men's full body tattoo) and Malu (women's thigh tattoo) are traditional Samoan tattoos with deep cultural and spiritual significance.
Question 4: In traditional Japanese tattooing, what term refers to the hand-poke technique using a wooden or metal rod with needles attached?
- Tebori (Correct answer)
- Irezumi
- Horimono
- Kakushi-bori
Correct answer: Tebori
Tebori is the traditional Japanese hand-poke tattooing technique, producing characteristic softer gradients compared to machine tattooing.
Question 5: The American Traditional tattoo style is associated with which era of US history and what profession?
- Early 20th century sailors and military personnel (Correct answer)
- 1960s hippie counterculture
- 19th century frontier cowboys
- 1980s punk rock subculture
Correct answer: Early 20th century sailors and military personnel
American Traditional tattoos became iconic among US Navy sailors and soldiers in the early 1900s, with imagery like anchors, eagles, and pin-up figures.
Question 6: What role did Norman Collins, known as 'Sailor Jerry,' play in tattoo history?
- He fused American Traditional with Japanese techniques, elevating the art and style of Western tattooing (Correct answer)
- He invented the first rotary tattoo machine
- He opened the first licensed tattoo studio in the US
- He created the first tattoo removal technique
Correct answer: He fused American Traditional with Japanese techniques, elevating the art and style of Western tattooing
Sailor Jerry studied Japanese tattooing and integrated its bold compositions and motifs into American Traditional, creating a more sophisticated style.
Tattoo Design Tattoo History and Culture 1
Otzi the Iceman, discovered in 1991, is significant in tattoo history because he demonstrates that tattooing dates back at least how far?