North America
Early Jesuit accounts testify to the widespread practice of tattooing among Native Americans. Among the Chickasaw, outstanding warriors were recognized by their tattoos. Among the Ontario Iroquoians, elaborate tattoos reflected high status. In north-west America, Inuit women's chins were tattooed to indicate marital status and group identity. The first permanent tattoo shop in New York city was settled up in 1846 and began a tradition by tattooing military servicemen from both sides of the civil war. Samuel O’Neill invented the electric tattooing machine in 1891.
Middle-East
During the time of the Old Testament, much of the pagan world was practicing the art of tattooing as a means of deity worship. A passage in Leviticus reads: ‘ye shall not make any cuttings on your flesh for the dead nor print any marks upon you’. (19:28) This has been cited as biblical authority to support the church's position. Biblical scholar maw. Thomson suggests, however, that mosses favored tattoos. Mosses introduced tattoos as a way to commemorate the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt.
Vikings
It is very likely that the Vikings were tattooed. At around year 1100 the Arab bin fallen described a meeting with some Vikings. He thought them very rude, dirty - and covered with pictures.