The barbwire tattoo is a tattoo design that first came out of prison culture, then it was adopted in Latino culture in Southern California, was then co-opted by modern tribal tattoo genre artists and then wildly popularized by Pamela Anderson! An interesting evolution for a tattoo design. Popular with both men and women, especially for arm bands. The definition of barbwire is: strong wire with barbs at regular intervals used to prevent passage.
Barbed wire is also known as barb wire, is a type of fencing wire
constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along
the strands. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used
atop walls surrounding secured property. It is also a major feature
of the fortifications in trench warfare (as a wire obstacle).
A person or animal trying to pass through or over barbed wire will
suffer discomfort and possibly injury. Barbed wire fencing requires
only fence posts, wire and fixing devices such as staples. It is
simple to construct and quick to erect by an unskilled person.
The first patent in the United States for barbed wire was issued in
1867 to Lucien B. Smith of Kent, Ohio, who is regarded as the
inventor. Joseph F. Glidden of DeKalb, Illinois received a patent
for the modern invention in 1874 after he made his own modifications
to previous versions.