Saturday, February 28, 2009

Amrita Arora - Bollywood Hot And Sexy Actress

Amrita Arora Biography

5' 4 1/2" tall, Mumbai girl, Maliaka Arora's sister, Amrita Arora was born on January 31st. She started her career as a model and then appeared in music videos. She featured in ads for Ponds, Elle 18, After Smoke, Sunsilk fruitiness etc. She is now most famous for hosting MTV House full and Mtv Chillout on Mtv India. Her first debut film was Kitne Door Kitne Paas. Her good looks and light skin were popular for casting directors looking for the next new face to promote in the commercial cinema of boy meet girl. Song and dance. Fight. More song and Dance. Heartbreak. Song and Dance. Boy gets girl again. Song and Dance. The end. Now she has couple of offers in her hand and she says that she is always following her sister Maliaka's footsteps.





Amrita Arora - Bollywood Hot And Sexy Actress

Amrita Arora Biography

5' 4 1/2" tall, Mumbai girl, Maliaka Arora's sister, Amrita Arora was born on January 31st. She started her career as a model and then appeared in music videos. She featured in ads for Ponds, Elle 18, After Smoke, Sunsilk fruitiness etc. She is now most famous for hosting MTV House full and Mtv Chillout on Mtv India. Her first debut film was Kitne Door Kitne Paas. Her good looks and light skin were popular for casting directors looking for the next new face to promote in the commercial cinema of boy meet girl. Song and dance. Fight. More song and Dance. Heartbreak. Song and Dance. Boy gets girl again. Song and Dance. The end. Now she has couple of offers in her hand and she says that she is always following her sister Maliaka's footsteps.





Orchid Tattoo






Those considering orchid tattoos would do well to consider the meanings associated with this popular flower. Known commonly as the flower choice for corsages, the orchid has several deep and long-standing meanings. Ironically, some of those meanings are overtly masculine in nature, while others are overtly feminine.
On the masculine side, the name “orchis” itself stems from the Greek word meaning testicle, and is associated with the flower because of the shape of the tuberoids which grow on the roots. Though approximately 30,000 species of orchids exist, many have an erect stem in the center which resembles a phallus. One source recalls that, in the 1990’s, the phrase “purple orchid” was slang for penis (making it all the more ironic that now Purple Orchid is a Calvin Kline fragrance for women). Among multiple meanings, one meaning the Chinese associate with the orchid is the “Perfect Man.”

On the feminine side, the orchid is also a symbol of beauty, charm, and refinement. In Greek mythology, Satyrion - for whom a family of orchids is named- was a nymph who gave birth to a child fathered by Poseidon. Due to its beauty and its fragrance, the orchid is often referred to as the Flower of Magnificence.

Perhaps it is those meanings which combine the masculine and feminine that best represent the orchid flower. In Confucian teachings, the orchid was the symbol for numerous progeny. It was considered a love potion and aphrodisiac in many countries, including Egypt, Germany, China, and Africa.

Taken together, we see that most interpretations associated with orchid flower tattoos relate to sexuality and procreation. Lesser known meanings include luxury, harmony, death, a scholar in seclusion (China), and – for those orchids with purple spots – the blood of Christ (England).


Source : http://www.tattoo-meanings.com/orchid-tattoos.html


The Orchid Flower Tattoos Can Be Feminine Or Masculine






Tattoos or at least the concept of tattoo art designs have been around for many, many years. Ranging from simple dots and lines to the more intricate designs are present in mummified remains found in several caves and burial grounds all over the world. This just goes to show that tattoos have been a long fascination of the human mind, ancient or modern.

Now, if you are planning to enter the world of tattoo art designs, then go and read on. Still, if you are just really in for the knowledge, then read on. If you are planning to start to have a tattoo art, then start it simple. Remember, that tattoos are permanent, so you might want to think about what to get first before you actually start the inking.

If you want a tattoo for life, then try an Orchid flower tattoo designs. Flower tattoos are great designs, as they show dual sides of simplicity and complexity. Simplicity in a sense that it's just a flower, but complexity in a way that the design varies, the shapes and colors vary as well.

Rushing for a good Orchid flower tattoo design in a tattoo parlor? A pretty good suggestion is to first have a temporary tattoo that lasts for around a week or so. Have a feel of the flower design. Then, just as this design starts to fade, you can go back to your tattoo artist to have it inked permanently.

Orchid flower tattoos are not just for the females. Men have tried this design and also loved the way the flower art has shown color and beauty in the tattoo art.




Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Orchid-Flower-Tattoos-Can-Be-Feminine-Or-Masculine&id=1565071


Orchid Flower Tattoos - Orchid Tattoo Picture






Some people use tattoos as a way to express their individuality. The majority of tattoo artists use an electrically powered, vertical, vibrating instrument using needles to inject tattoo ink pigment into the skin, to make a design or a picture or logo. This orchid flower tattoo is a really great design! Flower tattoos are all about beauty.
If you are wanting an orchid flower picture to wear on your body be sure of the size where it is to be placed & the design if, you should remember that tattoos are generally permanent so expect to be with it long term. an orchid flower tattoo is good for those who really want one for life. Another option is to get a fake orchid flower tattoo that would only last a few days. You can find more than just an orchid tattoo picture at the Tattoo Me Now tattoo gallery. Our huge range of tattoo designs including orchid flower pictures is great to browse through before choosing a the one you want. View and download many cute tattoo designs from right from where you are now. Get great orchid flower tattoos within minutes!

It is rather common that deciding on a tattoo design is a rushed decision when searching though the binders at a tattoo parlor? The way to go about it is to go through many tattoo ideas and designs before choosing the one you like best which is why the Tattoo Me Now tattoo site will be a great bonus to have. This makes it easy to find the orchid flower tattoo pictures you want. When you've got the perfect tattoo it shall make you appear extraordinary, make people you are interested in adore you, make random people who you don't know approach you and strike up a conversation about it, make you look different from everyone else and stand out from the crowd, and make you more confident. The best solution to finding yourself a Sexy tattoo design is to look at a huge collection of designs first, then decide.
Once You Do, You'll Let Others See It All The Time! This orchid flower tattoo picture could just be the accessory you're after. Its a good idea to seek the opinion of your friends before making a decision. Try book marking this tattoo for use later, or browse related tattoo designs from Tattoo Me Now, then find the Tattoo you want here. Print out for your local artist.

The worst thing about getting a tattoo done is the pain associated with it, although it does depend on where on your skin it is done. The pain doesn't last long and damage to your skin is quite minimal that most people don't bleed. Its likely to be slightly inflamed for a further few days. If its done in an approved manner in a capable manner, tattoos will generally recover particularly rapidly. The quality of tattoo aftercare is crucial to its lifetime appearance. Tattoos that still looks great after several years are preserved by the way it is maintained and looked after in the days following being done.



Source : http://www.tattoosbydesign.net/tattoos/orchidflowertattoo-orchidtattoopicture.html

Orchid Flower Tattoos






Orchids are large flowers and they blossom in a bunch. These flowers have bright color which makes them a favorite in the list of flower tattoos. It is always attractive to show your orchid flower tattoo on your body, as they are as bright as the flower itself. The bright petals of orchids give a new character to your body parts having the wonderful tattoos. With their symbolical meanings, orchids are the best choice for flower tattoos.

There are various colors of orchids available on the market. These varieties can even help you to choose the specific color of orchid that you choose to have as your tattoo. A dendrobium orchid is yellow in color and these bright yellow petals can be a good choice for a bright tattoo on your shoulder. Miltassia orchids have delicate pink colored petals. This orchid flower tattoo when painted on your body becomes lively, primarily because of its vibrant color intensity. Other than these, there are brassidium and barkeria orchids, which have bi-colored petals. They are indeed a colorful choice of all orchid flower tattoos. Get more into the world of flower tattoo from Dgreetings.




Source : http://www.dgreetings.com/fragrance-flowers/orchid-flower-tattoo.html

The Lily Tattoos






Lily tattoos are always a popular choice. The toughest part of the choice might be deciding just what kind of lily you are talking about. There are many species of lily though, with the exception of the Water Lily (discussed below), they all tend to resemble one another. Also, many types of flowers are often generically referred to as lilies.

The more traditional lily is a long stemmed garden flower with petals curling back from a horn-shaped face. This type of lily is strongly associated with the Christian tradition. Legend has it that it originally grew from the tears of Eve as she left the Garden of Eden. In artwork, the angel Gabriel is often depicted as holding a lily (or there are lilies nearby) during the visit in which he tells Mary she will give birth to Jesus. It is also used in artwork depicting any of the virgin saints. As such, the lily is generally associated with purity and chastity. Because of this connection, the lily is often paired with a sword. Together they represent the Last Judgment, and the division between the innocent and the guilty. Wouldn’t that make a nice symbolic lily tattoo? The most common lily associated with Christianity is, of course, the Easter lily. Because of its white petals, and tendency to bloom into life after a spring rain, the symbolic connection to the story of the resurrection is quite strong.

The lily is also used in a message by Jesus to demonstrate God’s love for His people. In speaking to the thousands, Jesus said, “Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” (Luke 12:27; also Matthew 6:28)Other lily symbolism exists worldwide. In Greek mythology, the flower came from the milk of the goddess Hera as it dropped to earth (an outpouring which also created the Milky Way). In Aboriginal Australia, the (Gymea) lily symbolizes courage and perseverance. In both China and Japan, the day lily is said to dispel grief. Women wear lilies to help them forget the sorrow of a loved one’s departure.


Source : http://www.tattoo-meanings.com/lily-tattoos.html

The Flower Lily Tattoos






Tattoos are great for expressing your individuality the way that you want. Tattooing is a special technique of permanently marking the skin using colors of ink, leaving an image or logo on their skin. This flower lily tattoo has some good appeal. Flower tattoos are all about beauty.
But before you walk into a tattoo studio you need to have already decided you want a flower lily design, then you have come to the right place as we have many designs available for you to flick through and view. It could be that a flower lily tattoo may not suit you. Checking out other designs and asking friends for a second opinion is probably a good idea. Another option is to get a fake flower lily tattoo that would only last a few days. There is many more available than just a flower lily tattoo. Take a look at the Tattoo Me Now tattoo gallery. There's thousands to choose from out of many categories including flower lily designs. View and download many great tattoo images from home. There's some great flower lily tattoos available for you to enjoy.

An important advantage that is gained when you use our collection of tattoo images over going to a tattoo studio where you will get it done is you're able to spend as much time as required to make a better decision on image you would enjoy wearing most. Its quite common for people to later on wish that had taken extra time to find a design they truly wanted which is why the Tattoo Me Now tattoo site will be a great bonus to have. You'll uncover many astonishing flower lily tattoo designs. With the ultimate tattoo it'll make you appear great, others will lust over you for it, make random people who you don't know approach you and strike up a conversation about it, promote you in a new light and stand out from everyone else, and become more confident. The trick is to go through a many tattoo designs and ideas first, then decide on the best.
Once You Do, You'll Let Others See It A Lot! This flower lily tattoo design will look great on the right person. But just remember, a tattoo is worth all the time and energy you put into it. So decide carefully. We encourage you to bookmark this flower lily design for future visits, or enjoy more designs from Tattoo Me Now, then with these ready to print tattoo designs, you can simply browse and choose then take a copy along to present to your local tattoo artist.

You should expect some pain when a tattoo is being performed on your body, on some parts of the body it hurts less than other parts. Tattoos may still sting for an hour afterwards. After that, any discomfort should be reduced to a slight irritation over the following few days. Performed in an approved manner and competently, a tattoos tend to cause very little suffering to skin and get better particularly fast. The quality of tattoo aftercare is crucial to its lifetime appearance. If you want your tattoo to still look great after 3 months or 3 years will depend on the way treat it immediately after getting it.



Source : http://www.tattoosbydesign.net/tattoos/flowerlilytattoo.html


Lilly Tattoos






Lilly Tattoo Designs - The whiteness of the lily’s long white petals speaks of purity, innocence, and chastity. At the same time and in other cultures, the trumpet-like flower has evoked associations of erotic love and procreation. Clearly, the lily is one of the most ambiguous of all flower symbols. Christians took possession of the symbol on the basis of the Sermon on the Mount and its 'lilies of the field' passage. Consider how beautiful they grow, though 'they toil not'. God provides, that’s the message, and the lily emerges as a symbol of faith and surrender to God’s grace. Liturgically, the lily is a symbol of Easter and of Christ himself, of resurrection and immortality. It’s evocative scent, the odour of chastity.

The flower’s phallic pistil and erotic fragrance made quite the opposite impression on the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. They linked the lily with fertility. It was a popular decorative motif in those ancient cultures. The female principle was artfully suggested when the lily was placed in a vase or jar, as it often was. The connection with procreation may have been behind the French royal family’s decision to adopt the fleur-de-lis as their coat of arms in the 12th century. Three petals bound at the base would ensure the prosperity of the royal line.

lilly tattoo design meaningsThe lily is often seen near a coffin, symbolizing death as well as purity. Because of its association with Christ, lilies are symbolic that the newly departed soul, if they have led a virtuous life of faith, will find resurrection in the hereafter. Lilies are often featured in memorial tattoo designs.

In Medieval and Renaissance art, where flower symbolism was almost a language unto itself, the Lily symbolized purity, chastity, and innocence. White lilies represented the purity of the Virgin Mary. The Angel Gabriel was often painted presenting Mary with a white lily when he announced to her that she would give birth to the Son of God.

See also: Japanese Tattoo Index, Flower & Plant Tattoo Index

Choose your own lilly tattoo design from Tattoo-Art.com.
Buy the lily tattoo design that is perfect for you.

Lilly flower tattoo designs from Tattoo-Art.com

Choose your beautiful Lily Tattoo design from the many choices at TattooJohnny.com

Get your Lily tattoo design ideas here!




Source : http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tattoos_designs_symbols_lily.htm


Arab Tattoos in Iraq






Tattooing, which is a wide-spread practice in Iraq, is known colloquially as daqq or dagg, from a root meaning to strike or knock, and as the name implies, it is tattooing by puncture. Occasionally a man with a literary background will employ the classical word washm, but daqq is thc generally accepted Arabic word. Tattooing is a custom which already shows signs of disappearing, especially in the cities. It is rarely observed among the upper classes, and is despised by city-dwellers of the lower classes as well. On the other hand, the tribespeople and fellahln still esteem it, particularly if the operation is performed in the town, and above all in Baghdad. Very often the tattooing is done by a townswoman, but in the towns themselves, according to an informant in An-Nasiriya, it is considered shameful to tattoo.

In Iraq it is found that tattooing is divided into two kinds, broadly speaking: ornamental or decorative tattooing, and tattooing applied for magic or therapeutic reasons. This statement is based simply on observation, and does not take into account the ultimate origins of the practice. Probably most tattooing has an ultimate magico-religious purpose, whatever may be its course of evolution. Magic and healing must of necessity be considered together, for the dividing line is arbitrary, especially among an unsophisticated people.

Generally the therapeutic and magic designs are simple and crude in form, with curative tattooing applied to the seat of pain or injury, whereas the tattooing done for the sake of beauty (lil-hila) is more extensive and elaborate. But sometimes the divisions overlap, and a simple design will have no other reason than to be decorative, or an ornamental design will be employed for a therapeutic reason. Cauterization as well as tattooing is widespread among the people of Iraq as a cure for many ills, but this is a separate subject.

The most common kind of curative tattooing is for sprains. Another is tattooing against headache and eye disease. The tattooing is applied on the temple or forehead or near the eye. Tattooing is also used as a cure for local skin infection, and localized pain generally, and very often against rheumatism and cold.

All these, to our way of thinking, tend to be magical, but there is another type of tattooing which is avowedly magical, in which the tattooing is applied with the intention of helping to bring about some desired contin-gency. Magical tattooing is chiefly the concern of women for here we enter the world of old wives' lore. Three recognizable varieties are found among the instances which came under my observation. The first is designed to induce pregnancy, a matter of great concern to Arab women; the second has the purpose of guarding children, especially boys, against death; and the third consists of charms for love or against other magic.

Tattooing to induce pregnancy was observed in only one case, but the practice was confirmed by statements from two other informants. One woman in the Baghdad hospital had three large dots irregularly placed on the lower abdomen, as well as a design around the navel. The dots in particular were to insure her having chiidren, but she said she had already borne one child when the tattooing was applied. This was done on the third day of menstruation. A midwife from Al-Kadhimain, one of the best infor-mants on the magic aspects of tattooing, also mentioned the practice of tattooing to insure child-bearing. According to her, the tattooing may be a single dot or a small design consisting of three or five dots, applied below the navel, or on the back just above the buttocks. It must be done on the second or third day of menstruation. A single dot in the center of the navel was specified by Kulthumah, the tattooer in An-Nasiriya.

A dot on the end of a child's nose is the most general form of magic tattooing encountered. In a country where the infant mortality is high, magic practices to preserve a child's life will be highly in favor. If a woman has lost several children, she will have the successive ones tattooed with a single dot, either on the end of the nose or on the lower abdomen. Some informants said that the magic effect was extended to later-born children, but others said that it was not effective for more than one child, and later-born children would have to be tattooed likewise. The tattooer in An-Nasiriya said that all the men in the village of Samawa are tattooed with a dot on the end of the nose, and one above the mouth on either side. This is done when they are children to make them look like girls so they will not die. A variation was observed in the case of a policeman in Baghdad who came of the Uzairij tribe. Instead of a dot on the nose he had on each temple a cross with a dot on each angle. His mothcr's previous children had all died, he said, so she had had him tattooed in this way to preserve him. He added that the design was also good for the head.

The efficacy of the third type of magical tattooing, which is a form of sympathetic magic, is aided by having someone read thc Qur'an while the tattooing is being applied. This is practiced secretly by women, and I came across only one or two instances. In Baghdad I saw a woman with three dots tattooed in a triangle on the palm of her right hand to insure her keeping her husband's love. A similar design on the ieft hand would mean that the woman no longer wanted her husband's devotion. The midwife in Al-Kadhimain had a circle of five dots on the palm of her right hand. She said that she was her husband's second wife, and when he took a third, she decided that something must be done to ward off any possible conjuring on the part of the new wife. So one Friday noon, the most effective time, she had her right palm tattooed while a woman mullah read Qur'an. The potency of the tattooing could not be doubted, for the result was that her husband divorced both his other wives and kept her!

Besides the magic and therapeutic varieties, there is a vast amount of tattooing whose ostensible purpose is to beautify thc wearer. Most Arab women, at least outside the cities, are so tattooed. Not only the face and hands are decorated, but arms and feet, back, thighs, chest, and abdomen.

Among the Albu Muhammad definite observations were made on only a few womcn, but from superficial observation it seemed that nearly all of them were tattooed. The husband of one Albu Muhammad woman stated that his tribeswomen tattoo extensively because the men like it, and refuse to marry a girl who is not tattooed. Among the total of one hundred and twenty-nine Shammar women observed, only three were not tattooed, and they were young girls.

A very pretty and elaborately tattooed girl from the neighborhood of Hilla, who was twenty years old and had been married seven years, was one of my richest finds, especially for the actual designs. Her tattooing had been applied not all at one time, but during the course of three years. During her tenth year, her face, forearms, hands, and chest were tattooed; during the following year, her thighs and back; and in her twelfth year, her feet and upper arms were tattooed. All this was simply ornamental, but she had also a little curative tattooing, namely, a single dot in the inner corner of the right eye because of pain in the eye, and three marks on the right thigh, done by herself, and a linear mark on the right foot, tattooed to cure pain in the leg, which occurred after childbirth.

Another informant at An-Nasiriya said that her face, hands, arms, and feet had been tattoood some time before marriage, and her thighs, back, and abdomen had been done at the time of her marriage -- all in one operation, which took seven hours, and must have been exceedingly painful.

Although the idea was never suggested by any of my informants that tattooing is a puberty rite for girls, the fact is that for the most part, girls are tattooed about the time of reaching puberty, or at least before marriage, which is apt to occur not long after puberty. There seems, however, to be no sort of tabu attached to the operation, either for the person tattooed or for the operator.

Tattooing among the Arabs is not confined to the women, as one is sometimes led to believe, but is practiced to a wide extent by the men as well, although the latter for the most part confine theirs to the hand and forearm and the face. But tattooing of the face is not as common among men as among women, and where it is found among men, it generally has a definite purpose, magic or curative, while designs on the hands and arms may have such a purpose, or may be simply decorative. Sometimes it is admitted that such tattooing is for beauty, and sometimes, if the man is rather ashamed of what he considers a feminine method of adornment, he says it is hlch, nothing. It may be suspected that the typical wrist design displayed by men, which outlines the wrist and back of the hand, may have the fundamental purpose of strengthening the wrist, and in fact, this reason was given by a professional tattooer in 'Amara. Many men were observed with lines tattooed across their wrists as a cure for sprains. Sprained wrists and thumbs seemed to be quite common, according to the number of cases in which tattooing had been resorted to as a cure.

Tattooing seems to be more common among men in the south of lraq, that is, the Marsh Arabs near 'Amara, and the settled tribes of the district around An-Nasiriya, than among the Beduins. Among the latter, not more an one-third were tattooed, while among the settled tribes, at least three quarters of the men were tattooed.

Nearly all tattooing among the Arabs of Iraq is done by women, mostly professionals. It is not a hereditary profession, but any woman who has the will and inclination can become a daggagah or tattooer. No evidence was produced to show that the tattooer must come from any specific group (except that in a few instances the tattooing was said to have been done by gypsies) or that she must undergo any preliminary ceremonies or observe certain tabus at any time. Much of the simpler sort of tattooing is done by mothers upon their children, sometimes when only three days old.

Arab tattooing is always blue in color, and the designs are geometrical, or sometimes extremely stylized representations of natural objects. There are various methods of making the pigment for tattooing, which is known as kohl or basmah, but the principle is the same, for the chief ingredient is always carbon in the form of lamp-black. The word kohl usually refers to the powdered antimony which is put around the eyes, but it is also used to mean lamp-black, which is used by the poor in the same way as the antimony. The carbon is precipitated by burning either the ordinary kerosene in lamps, or tallow, or a piece of cloth dipped in dihn, the mutton fat used for cooking. Sometimes indigo is added, or bile from the gall-bladder of an ox, which sets the dye, but the commonest method is to gather the soot precipitated on the bottom of a dish held over the lamp, and make a paste.

Many people hold that the soot must be moistened with hallb umm al-bint, the milk of a woman nursing a daughter, which has magic properties, but others say that it is not good, and use water or kerosene. The use of human milk was noted in several places, always the milk of a woman nursing a girl, as the milk for a girl is supposed to be specially soothing and cooling. On the other hand, the chief tattooer in An-Nasiriya said that it was not good to use milk because it attracted flies, and then the tattooing spoiled. She herself used the simplest of ingredients, the soot of kerosene moistened with water; and samples of her work were both clean-cut and of good color. In all cases the instruments used are ordinary sewing needles of a varying -number according to their size and the technique of the operator. Usually they are of a good size, but smaller than a darning needle, from two to four bound together for at least half their length. First the design, which in most cases depends on the taste and skill of the operator, is drawn on the skin with the needles dipped in the dye, and then pricked through. The tattooed surface may or may not bleed; whether it does or not is not important, except that some women in An-Nasiriya said that it is better to perform the operation in the morning because it bleeds a lot if it is done at noon. The tattooed area may be swollen for three days. A scab forms, which comes off after three to seven days, leaving the design well fixed under the skin.

As for the designs employed, a great deal could be written on the subject, especially on the history of the names, and the comparison of the designs themselves with those found in ancient and modern times on pottery and textiles. The designs are geometrical or stylized. (generally they consist of combinations of dots and lines, especially zigzag and cross hatched lines, circles, crescents, chevrons, triangles, stars, and crosses, and elaborations of these. The elements everywhere are the same, but of course in some districts certain patterns are used, which in other places are not known, or at least not held in favor.

The patterns also depend on the part of the body tattooed, especially in the case of ornamental tattooing among women, for curative tattooing is usually simple in form. Both men and women have the back of the hand and wrist tattooed, the whole design often being known as the "glove". Lines with some sort of cross-hatching or other decorations form the most important parts of patterns on the legs and arms, and down the chest. The latter type of design is found everywhere among the women, and consists -essentially of a line which begins at the lower lip and runs down the chin, neck, and chest nearly to the waistline, and sometimes extends to the navel. Other designs on both forearm and upper arm circle the arm like bracelets and similar designs are found on the ankles, although foot and ankle patterns do not necessarily go all the way around.

Women's eyebrows are frequently tattooed, and most women have some tattooing on the face, especially on the chin, and dots between eyes and above the upper lip. Sometimes vertical lines on the chin extended through the lower lip, and I have seen a few women with all the lower lip tattooed.

The elements of the patterns are given their proper titles: star, crescent, zigzag, double zigzag, and so on, while the whole designs are generally named for the part of the body adorned: chin, chest, back, side, foot, or wrist. A design on the side of the cheek is known as "the shadow of the side lock," and dots on the upper lip may be called "mustache" or "shadow of the nose-ring." A single dot on the face, and especially between the eyes called "dimple." Rayed figures are known as "sun," "star," or "flower, " while circles may be called "disc," "ring," or "moon." It is interesting to note that one or two of the terms used to denote small designs refer originally to marks or blazes on horses. A design consisting of a line with single cross-hatching, particularly on the wrist, is often called "comb," but I am inclined to think that the design is derived from the figure of an animal, presumably a gazelle.

Conventionalized gazelles are perhaps the most interesting of the designs noted. Men particularly are fond of having a gazelle tattooed on the inner forearm. Women also have gazelles, on the forearm or hand, and sometimes in pairs on the breast, on each side of the line running down the chest from the face. Since representations of living beings are forbidden to Moslems, one is tempted to think that the tattooed gazelles may be survivals of an ancient totemism. Some of the so-called ''combs'' look very much like elaborated gazelles, while on the other hand, a simplified form something like a broad letter H is also called gazelle.


Another interesting and primitive design, which was found in all groups, is the cross. It is always found with arms of equal length, and frequently there is a dot in each angle. From ancient times, and in many places, the cross has had a certain magic function attached to it, and the idea is borne out by one of my informants, the midwife from Al-Kadhimain, who said that the cross, or as she called it, the four-sided, is thc best, that is, the strongest design. The design of the dotted cross is by no means modern, for it is noted among those of tiles from Samarra, dating from the middle of the ninth century, and on fourteenth century potsherds found by Dr. N. Debevoise in the neighborhood of Tell Dahab, near Tell Asmar. Another sherd bearing the same design was found at Tabus on the Euphrates. Debevoise suggests that these stamped designs may be potters' marks.



Source : http://www.tattooheaven.com/excerpt1.html