Ornamental compositions of tattoos among the peoples of Northern Pacifica (classification principles)

Abstract

Tattoos are a vivid artistic form and expressive means of cultural, social and possibly ethnic identity of the peoples of the North. The classification of tattoos of the aboriginal peoples of the North Pacific, as well as the systematization of ornamental compositions and elements, have not yet been developed, which determines the novelty of this publication. The relevance of the study is in developing a research methodology for tattoo ornament, as a special type of artistic creativity of the peoples of the North. In the study we analyze the data on main ornamental motives and compositions of tattoos of the Chukchi, Eskimos, Evens, Itelmens, and other peoples of the northeastern regions of Eurasia basing of ethnographic observations obtained by a number of researchers in the 17th-19th and early 20th centuries. It has been revealed that while the main type of ornament of the peoples of the North is represented by simple geometric figures (lines, dotted lines, geometric shapes, grids, etc.), the unique stylized anthropomorphic and zoomorphic elements preserved as well. Analysis of ideas about northern ornamental art is an urgent task, since it plays an important role in the formation of personal, cultural, ethnic and social identity of the peoples, which determines the future prospects for cross-cultural research. Additionally to the tattoo motives ornamentation techniques, tools, composition of elements and features of motifs and compositions on household items, clothes, etc. can be identified as features of ornamental art. The authors see further research prospects in verification of the techniques of ornamentation characteristics, the semantic analysis of the ornamental field as a whole.