Until the early twentieth century all Solomon Islanders were either tattooed or scarified. The most popular tattoos included stylised designs of everyday objects, like spears and fishes. Men had distinctive chest tattoos symbolising manhood. It was an extension of the te tau, a line from the neck to the navel tattooed on both men and women. Each chest tattoo was unique, and the tattooist (tufunga ta tau) selected what he considered the most appropriate design from at least 50 options. Most tattooists on the Solomon Islands were men who also excelled in other crafts such as woodcarving. On Ontong-Java and Santa Anna, only women from certain families had the knowledge and were permitted to use it. After marriage, it was customary to tattoo the upper body, including the breasts. In 1972, the government prohibited the custom on grounds of cruelty to women and because it was in conflict with Christian beliefs.