The word, 'branding' indicates a mark made by burning or otherwise. Such a brand may signify ownership. Some societies used brands to mark criminals to disgrace and stigmatize them. The mark itself may be either burned or frozen into the flesh or impregnated into the skin using special needles and indelible inks. This is a tattoo, and in Latin means 'stigma.'
The first human being on Earth to wear a brand was Cain, as described in Genesis 4:15, "... Then the Lord put a mark on Cain ..." In this case, the Lord did not mark Cain to disgrace him, but to protect him from harm.
The Ancient Romans (10th Century BC to 4th Century AD) branded their runaway slaves with the letters, 'FUG', an abbreviation of the word, 'fugitivus'. An entire profession of 'Fugitivarii' emerged pure for the purpose of finding the marked slaves and returning them to their owners. The Romans inflicted the mark of 'FUR' (for 'fure', meaning 'thief') or 'CV' (representing 'cave furem', 'beware the thief'). Similarly, the Ancient Greeks (9th Century BC to 6th Century AD) emblazoned their slaves with the letter 'Delta', mean dolous or slave.
More recent civilizations also employed branding as a means of both punishing and humiliating criminals. In the 1600s, Puritans in North America would impregnate the letter 'A' into the flesh of men and women who committed acts of adultery. Canadian military prisons would affix the letter 'D' to deserters or 'BC' to indicate 'bad character' before shipping miscreants to penal colonies. Deserters were similarly branded during the American Civil War (1861-1865).
In an apparent paradox that still puzzles historians today, the French would identify criminals by affixing them with the 'fleur de lis' motif, the same symbol that adorned the batons conferred on French field marshalls. Today, the fleur de lis emblazons headgear of the New Orleans Saints, an American Football team.
In modern times, human branding techniques are less brutal and are now worn more voluntarily as a symbol of belonging or as a personal or fashion statement. More likely brands are affixed using indelible inks implanted under the dermis level of the skin with the us of specialised needles (the tattoo). Other, less permanent, methods of applying tattoos have emerged.
It is not uncommon for soldiers on leave to return to their posts bearing tattoos of their wives, mothers, girlfriends, or a special mark identifying them with their regiment. In an episode of 'The West Wing, ' an itinerant veteran, overcome by the icy elements of a Washington winter, was identified as having served in Korea by virtue of the tattoo that he bore on his arm. Tattoos form an important part of modern subcultures like the Twentieth Century Goth movement. Henna tattoos are also popular amongst religious groups and revellers at modern music festivals like 'Glastonbury' or 'T in the Park'.
The first human being on Earth to wear a brand was Cain, as described in Genesis 4:15, "... Then the Lord put a mark on Cain ..." In this case, the Lord did not mark Cain to disgrace him, but to protect him from harm.
The Ancient Romans (10th Century BC to 4th Century AD) branded their runaway slaves with the letters, 'FUG', an abbreviation of the word, 'fugitivus'. An entire profession of 'Fugitivarii' emerged pure for the purpose of finding the marked slaves and returning them to their owners. The Romans inflicted the mark of 'FUR' (for 'fure', meaning 'thief') or 'CV' (representing 'cave furem', 'beware the thief'). Similarly, the Ancient Greeks (9th Century BC to 6th Century AD) emblazoned their slaves with the letter 'Delta', mean dolous or slave.
More recent civilizations also employed branding as a means of both punishing and humiliating criminals. In the 1600s, Puritans in North America would impregnate the letter 'A' into the flesh of men and women who committed acts of adultery. Canadian military prisons would affix the letter 'D' to deserters or 'BC' to indicate 'bad character' before shipping miscreants to penal colonies. Deserters were similarly branded during the American Civil War (1861-1865).
In an apparent paradox that still puzzles historians today, the French would identify criminals by affixing them with the 'fleur de lis' motif, the same symbol that adorned the batons conferred on French field marshalls. Today, the fleur de lis emblazons headgear of the New Orleans Saints, an American Football team.
In modern times, human branding techniques are less brutal and are now worn more voluntarily as a symbol of belonging or as a personal or fashion statement. More likely brands are affixed using indelible inks implanted under the dermis level of the skin with the us of specialised needles (the tattoo). Other, less permanent, methods of applying tattoos have emerged.
It is not uncommon for soldiers on leave to return to their posts bearing tattoos of their wives, mothers, girlfriends, or a special mark identifying them with their regiment. In an episode of 'The West Wing, ' an itinerant veteran, overcome by the icy elements of a Washington winter, was identified as having served in Korea by virtue of the tattoo that he bore on his arm. Tattoos form an important part of modern subcultures like the Twentieth Century Goth movement. Henna tattoos are also popular amongst religious groups and revellers at modern music festivals like 'Glastonbury' or 'T in the Park'.
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