Arabic Tattoo in Traditional Cultures

Evidence of tattooing in Southwestern Asia was discovered in 1930 when painted figurines about 6,000 years old were found in the Tigris-Euphrates Valley. Sir Leonard Woolley who discovered them wrote: "On the shoulders of all (the figurines), both back and front, there are marks which in the painted figures are in black, the others rendered by small attached lumps of clay; these I take to be coarse tattooing, like cicatrices of some modern tribes of savages."

There is very little information published in English on Arab tattooing. The most complete work is Henry Field's Body Marking in Southwestern Asia, a survey that includes tattooing, branding, and the use of henna and kohl. His information was collected as a result of travels in Egypt, Syria, Iran, the Caucasus and the area around the Persian Gulf. He believed that tattooing originated as part of religious rituals.

The Beduoin (nomadic) people and Gypsies (Nawar) seem to be the main influence on tattoo designs of both Arabic and non Arabic tribes. Bedouin women were the most heavily tattooed of and were most likely tattooed by the Nawar. The Nawar tattooed people from Syria, Egypt, Libya, Iran and Iraq right up until the start of the 20th century.

Traditionally tattooing in Southwestern Asia was practiced by woman, and the methods were kept secret.

Tattooing was a widespread practice in Iraq during the 1930's. Tattooing is known colloquially as daqq or dagg, from a root meaning to strike or knock, it is tattooing by puncture. Tattooing is a custom which was already showing signs of disappearing in the cities.

Tattooing was rarely done by the upper classes, and is despised by city-dwellers of the lower classes as well.

In Iraq, tattooing was divided into two kinds: ornamental or decorative. Generally designs were simple and crude in form. Curative tattooing was done at the location of the pain or injury, where beautification tattooing (lil-hila) is more extensive and elaborate.

Curative tattooing was commonly used for sprains but was also used to cure headaches and eye diseases. The tattooing is applied to the temple or forehead near the eye. Tattooing is also used for a cure for local skin infection and pain and against rheumatism.