Tribal Tattoo Designs (Paperback)

by Maarten Hesselt Van Dinter (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
     The art of tattooing has been found all over the world, from the Ice Age to our own day. And though aboriginal people from Arabia to America to the South Seas have traditionally practiced it, tattooing has lately been on the decline among tribal cultures – even as it has become fashionable in the first world. This book showcases the rich variety and sometimes surprising similarities of these disappearing tribal tattoo designs, both representative and abstract, employed as religious symbols, talismans, charms, indicators of status or position, or simply as adornment.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala; 1st edition (March 14, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570625565
• ISBN-13: 978-1570625565
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,035,223 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Academic Look at Tribal Tattooing, May 10, 2000

By	Deborah Lewis - See all my reviews

Maarten Hesselt van Dinter's "Tribal Tattoo Designs" focuses on the cross-cultural history of tattooing, tattooing technology, and commonly expressed motifs. Also examined are societies where tattooing holds a powerful impact in recent history, where and how this custom is practiced, and its significance as a form of human transition and metamorphosis. Extensive research is given to tribal designs, which often were abstract images based on local objects encountered in the environment, such as animals and landmarks. The artwork in "Tribal Tattoo Designs" is extensively detailed, of an academic nature, and should be on the bookshelf of all anthropologists.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Is a picture really worth a thousand words?, June 1, 2001

By	Mathieu J Blanchette "[e-mail]" (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada) - See all my reviews

This is an amazing compilation of tribal tattoos from around the world and throughout time. True to its name it features tribal designs, not the neo-tribal tattoos that have come popular today.

I found the pictures to be great as I was looking to find out more about tribal designs from many cultures. I was served well with pictures, but not so well with explanations of what the tattoo was, what it meant, which class would wear it in society, how it was applied, the history behind the tradition, etc.

I am using the book as a reference and find that it only becomes great with supporting articles. I had done extensive reading on tribal traditions from around the world and found that this book served well as a companion to these and other articles, but not as a stand alone book. Without the history behind the pictures, you loose the whole meaning.

I strongly recommed this book, be it as a source book or simply for a tattoo enthusiaste. However, I would urge everyone to supplement this book with further readings on the matter.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Cross-Cultural Reference of Tattoos, August 16, 2000

By	"tatau" (Auburntown, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This is an excellent book for those looking for indigenous art and original "root" design. It addresses body art from a large spectrum of social groups and all continents. The illustrations are very clear and detailed, and it is well organized to allow you to follow the evolution of a design as it jumps from country to country, culture to culture. I would recommend it for anyone who wants to find a particular tattoo design, either for personal use or simple research.