This beautifully illustrated and luxuriously packaged volume sheds interesting new light on a trend that has been around since time incarnate. The history of the tattoo began over 5,000 years ago and is as diverse as the people who wear them: tattoos have been used as symbols of spirituality, devotion or religion; as status symbols, rewards for bravery or symbols of rank; as amulets or talismans; as a means of identification; and even as a symbol of punishment, slavery, crime or imprisonment. Today, tattooing is recognized as a socially acceptable and legitimate art form that attracts men and women of all walks of life. This large format book packaged in a clamshell box showcases more than 400 images of tattoos and tattooed people from all layers of society and all parts of the world, throughout time. As a coffee table book, it is a welcome introduction to the wonderful world of tattoos and the perfect gift to yourself or anybody else, inspiring both conversations as well as the desire to get a tattoo.