Tattoo Artifacts from Around the World

Europe

To date, the oldest evidence of tattoos in human history is found on the mummified body of Ötzi the Iceman. He is estimated to have lived during the Neolithic Era between 3400-3100 BCE. Discovered in 1991 on the border of Austria and Italy, he is the oldest known natural human mummy. Ötzi has a total of 61 tattoos consisting of geometric line groupings. Based on tissue samples scientists believe that the “ink” was made of ash and soot and applied by cutting shallow incisions and rubbing ash into the cut. It is assumed that judging on the scar tissue, Ötzi was tattooed multiple times in the same areas. In terms of the meaning behind them, the tattoos don’t appear to be pictorial or language. Researchers estimate that the tattoos were a form of primitive acupuncture as they are located on his body that when he was alive were deteriorating with age.

Egypt 

On display in the British Museum, there are six mummies known as the Gebelein predynastic mummies. They lived in Ancient Egypt during the late Predynastic period (3400 BC). Of the six, two have been tattooed, a man and a woman. Not only are they the oldest evidence of pictorial tattoos, but they also show that tattoos were not limited to one gender. The man, known as Gebelein Man A has a tattoo depicting a wild bull and Barbary sheep. The woman, known as Gebelin Woman is believed to have been from royalty and has four ‘S’ shapes over her right shoulder. This design was a common decorative motif found on pottery from the same era. Her other tattoo is located on the outside of her upper arm. Researchers believe that it is a depiction of a ceremonial object. Both tattoos are presumed to have been made by puncturing the skin with either a copper or bone needle and soot was rubbed into the skin. 

China

The Tarim mummies are a series of mummies found in the Tarim Basin (now Xinjiang province in China) dating back from 1900 BCE to 200 CE. One in particular belonged to a woman known as Loulan, who lived some time during 1000-600 BCE. Loulan was discovered along an ancient trade route known as the Silk Road located outside of the Chinese village now known as Zaghunluq. While researchers have not been able to confirm her cultural origins, her tattoos resemble those found on mummies from Russia. It is believed that Loulan and the other mummies found with her were merchants of European origins who lived in a settlement along the Silk Road.  

Along with Loulan, most of the Tarim mummies were also discovered with tattoos but due to limited access to the mummies, not enough research has been done on them to gather more information. Victor Mair, a scholar from University of Pennsylvania was able to study Loulan and believes that her tattoos were likely ornamental and symbolic. Her tattoos were made via a puncture technique where soot and fireplace ash rubbed into shallow punctures. Her tattoos include moons on her eyelids, ovals on her forehead and a decorative scroll on her left forearm and hand. The design and symbolism of her tattoos appear to indicate her as being some kind of religious figure head or shaman. 

Aside from the Tarim mummies, there are many examples of tattoo practices throughout ancient China. In the Northern regions, tattoos were seen as barbaric and it was common practice for criminals to be marked with characters such as 囚 meaning criminal. In the Southern regions, various tribes of the Baiyue or Yue were known for their short hair, body tattoos, fine swords and powerful navel abilities. These tattoos were designed to enhance their ferocious appearance as they also blackened their teeth. Evidence of this practice can be seen on figurines excavated from ancient tombs. These figurines were adorned with engravings on their body and dots along their faces representing the tattoos of the Yue people. 

Unlike the Yue tribes, Tai Nue (from the Dehong Autonomous Region in Yunnan) and Tai Leu males were adorned with tattoos along their chest and thighs to represent the transition to manhood. The tattoos of the Tai Nue and Tai Leu consisted of passages from Buddhist sutras, magic spells, as well as certain protective symbols. 

Peru

Discovered in El Brujo,Peru, the mummy known as the Lady of Cao lived during 450 CE and ruled a desert valley in ancient Peru. Her body was buried in 20 layers of fabric and accorded with weapons and golden trinkets. Her tattoos depicted spiders, snakes, catfish, crabs and mythical creatures and were made with charcoal based pigment and prodding the skin with cactus spines. 

For a more indepth look into the Lady of Coa see the video by Explora Films.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4_vVeWKLM0

Philippines

Tattoos in the Philippines were first documented by the first Spanish explorers to arrive, calling them “Pintados” or painted men. The term “Pintado” holds great weight and is a source of controversy amongst those native to the Philippines as many of them were forced into slavery and owned and sold as living art statues (see Prince Giolo). This led to significant losses to their traditional tattoo practice. 

Traditionally, tattoos were worn by warriors to intimidate and strike fear into enemies and reserved for only those who had proven themselves in battle. The accumulation and placement of their tattoos signified accomplishments in battles. There are two styles of tattooing that originated in the Philippines. One uses thorns from the Calamansi tree attached to a wooden stick where the thorn is dipped into charcoal paste and repeatedly tapped into the skin. The second style is made by pricking or cutting the skin and rubbing charcoal powder into the wounds. 

In the northern part of the Philippines, the tribes of the Kalinga, Bontoc, and Ifugao practiced a style of tattooing called “pagbabatul”. Within these tribes, not only did their warriors have tattoos but their women were adorned as well with the belief that tattoos increased their beauty and fertility.