Body Art 歷史悠久的身體藝術——刺青‏

 Tattoos1 are often seen on sailors, bikers2, and gang3 members, but now, they are not just connected with people with something to prove. Instead, they have become popular with ordinary people. In fact, people all over the world have been marking their bodies with tattoos for thousands of years. The earliest known tattoos were found on several female Egyptian mummies4 from around 2000 BC. However, scientists discovered in 1991 AD that the art of tattooing is much older.

我們常常會在水手、重機騎士及幫派份子身上看到刺青，但現在人們不再只會把刺青跟那些需要證明自己的人們聯想在一起。相反地，刺青在一般人之間已日益流行起來。事實上，世界各地的人們在身上用刺青作標記的作法已流傳了好幾千年。最早為人所知的刺青是在西元前2000年左右一些埃及的女性木乃伊身上所找到。然而科學家在西元1991年則發現刺青藝術的歷史其實更久遠。在奧地利及義大利之間的阿爾卑斯山脈中被發現的冰人奧茨，身上更擁有從五千兩百年前就留下的刺青（編按：冰人奧茨是於阿爾卑斯山脈奧茨塔爾山冰川所發現的一具因冰封而保存完好的天然木乃伊，身上有多處紋身）。

Otzi the Iceman, who was found in the Alps between Italy and Austria, had tattoos from 5,200 years ago.
　　Cultures around the world have been practicing tattooing for many reasons. Ancient Egyptians tattooed women to protect them before and during child birth. Ancient Britons used tattoos as marks of religion or high status. The most famous were the Picts. They tattooed images of beasts5 in blue to give themselves those animals' spirits and power during battle. Ancient Romans, Chinese, and Japanese marked criminals6 and slaves with tattoos. For most tribes7 in Polynesia, tattoos were used to indicate a person's status, tribe, and abilities. For the Maori of New Zealand, each design was unique and like an ID card on a person's face. Tattoos were also common in Taiwan. The people of the Atayal tribe tattooed both young men and women's faces as they became adults.
一直以來，世界各地的文化都為了諸多原因實行著刺青這項習俗。古埃及人在女性身上紋身是為了讓她們在生產前及生產過程中受到保護。古代英國人把刺青當作代表宗教信仰或崇高身份地位的符號。而最有名的則屬皮克特人（編按：皮克特人是於西元十世紀前、居住在如今英國蘇格蘭地區的原住民）。他們會在身體刺上藍色的野獸圖像，用以在戰爭中賦予自己那些動物的精神與力量。古羅馬人、中國人及日本人則會在罪犯及奴隸身上刺青。在玻里尼西亞大部分的部落裡，刺青是用來表明一個人的身份地位、所屬部落及專長能力。就紐西蘭的毛利人而言，每個刺青圖樣都很獨特，就像是一個人的臉上刻著一張身份證。刺青在台灣也很常見。泰雅族的人會在年輕男女成年時在他們的臉上刺青。

Building Your Vocabulary

1. ordinary　a. 普通的，平常的
My parents have lived a very ordinary life.
我的父母一直過著非常普通的生活。
2. mark　vt. & vi. 作記號 & n. 記號
This box was marked "Handle With Care."
這個箱子上標示了『小心輕放』的字樣。
3. practice　vt. 實行，奉行
The custom is still being practiced today.
這項習俗至今仍為人奉行著。
4. religion　n. 宗教，宗教信仰
Maria believes religion makes her life fuller.
瑪莉亞相信宗教信仰讓她的生命更完滿。
5. status　n. 地位，身份
The social status of women has changed slowly over the years.
這些年來，女性的社會地位慢慢地改變了。
6. indicate　vt. 代表；指出
The study indicated that females live longer.
這項研究指出女性較為長壽。
7. unique　a. 獨特的，特別的
Everyone's fingerprints are unique.
每個人的指紋都是獨一無二的。

Phrases for Learning

◆ be connected with...

　　與……聯想在一起
Jack-o'-lanterns are usually connected with Halloween.
傑克南瓜燈常被人與萬聖節聯想在一起。

Extra Words

1. tattoo　n. & vt. 刺青，紋身
2. biker　n.（成群結黨的）重型機車騎士
3. gang　n. 幫派（本文中作形容詞用）
4. mummy　n. 木乃伊
5. beast　n. 野獸
6. criminal　n. 罪犯
7. tribe　n. 部落

Tips In Use

The earliest known tattoos were found...from around 2000 BC.
（最早為人所知的刺青是在西元前2000年左右……找到。）
However, scientists discovered in 1991 AD that...
（然而科學家在西元1991年則發現……）
　　BC 表『西元前』，而 AD 則表『西元』。兩者的分野為耶穌誕生的前後，其表示方法如下：
1. 500 BC → 西元前500年
　 BC 為"Before Christ"（耶穌誕生前）的縮寫。
2. AD 2010∕2010 AD → 西元2010年
　AD 為拉丁文 Anno Domini的縮寫，其意為"in the year of our lord"（我們活在主的年代）。
注意:
若年份不特別註明是 AD 或 BC，則通常指的是西元某某年。但若是某段文章內同時提及兩者，就必須寫上 AD 或 BC 以示區隔。