Tattoos - The Ancient And Mysterious History

Humans have marked their bodies with tattoos for thousands of years. These permanent designs—sometimes plain, sometimes elaborate, always personal—have served as amulets, status symbols, declarations of love, signs of religious beliefs, adornments and even forms of punishment. Joann Fletcher, research fellow in the department of archaeology at the University of York in Britain, describes the history of tattoos and their cultural significance to people around the world, from the famous " Iceman," a 5,200-year-old frozen mummy, to today’s Maori.

In terms of tattoos on actual bodies, the earliest known examples were for a long time Egyptian and were present on several female mummies dated to c. 2000 B.C. But following the more recent discovery of the Iceman from the area of the Italian-Austrian border in 1991 and his tattoo patterns, this date has been pushed back a further thousand years when he was carbon-dated at around 5,200 years old.

Following discussions with my colleague Professor Don Brothwell of the University of York, one of the specialists who examined him, the distribution of the tattooed dots and small crosses on his lower spine and right knee and ankle joints correspond to areas of strain-induced degeneration, with the suggestion that they may have been applied to alleviate joint pain and were therefore essentially therapeutic. This would also explain their somewhat 'random' distribution in areas of the body which would not have been that easy to display had they been applied as a form of status marker.

Ancient Egyptian women got ‘tramp stamp’ tattoos more than 3,000 years ago to protect them and their child during birth: Markings found on the lower back symbolize good luck and health
A pair of mummies found in Egypt bear tattoos on their lower backs that include symbols used to protect women and children, specifically during childbirth
Archaeologists believe the tattoos were given during pregnancy as a way to protect the mother and child
The images include the god Bes who was believed to protect women and children, along with those that symbolize good luck and health
by Stacy Liberatore for Dailymail.Com
Published: 12:04 EST, 11 November 2022 | Updated: 14:57 EST, 11 November 2022
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-11417749/Ancient-Egyptian-women-got-tramp-stamp-tattoos-protect-child-labor.html

Tattoos more popular among Ancient Egyptians than once thought
New research reveals
11 Dec 2019
by Archaeology Newsroom
https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2019/12/11/tattoos-more-popular-among-ancient-egyptians-than-once-thought/

Researchers find fabulous tattoos on 3,000-year-old remains of Egyptian woman
Image without a caption
By Ben Guarino
May 26, 2016 at 2:41 a.m. EDT
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/05/26/researchers-find-unprecedented-cow-tattoos-on-3000-year-old-remains-of-egyptian-woman/

Stanford Report, November 17, 2014
Stanford archaeologist leads the first detailed study of human remains at the ancient Egyptian site of Deir el-Medina
By combining an analysis of written artifacts with a study of skeletal remains, Stanford postdoctoral scholar Anne Austin is creating a detailed picture of care and medicine in the ancient world.
BY BARBARA WILCOX
The Humanities at Stanford
https://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/november/healthcare-ancient-egypt-111714.html

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Mummified mice found in 'beautiful, colourful' Egyptian tomb [04/05/2019]
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Mystery of 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy with 'magical' tattoos solved [10/25/2018]
What Does the Bible Say About Getting Tattoos? [10/22/2018]
What Otzi the Iceman's Tattoos Reveal About Copper Age Medical Practices [09/21/2018]
Student discovers writing on pieces of ancient Egyptian mummy case [09/04/2018]
Salt of the Alps: ancient Austrian mine holds Bronze Age secrets [08/24/2018]
'Alien' mummy DNA probe may have crossed ethical lines [07/22/2018]
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Archaeologists discover child graves at ancient site in Egypt [12/19/2017]
Archaeologists discover mysterious void deep within Great Pyramid of Giza [11/02/2017]
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Egyptian mummy bears tattoo of a Christian saint [07/30/2017]
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Egyptian Mummy Exhibit Is Son Of Ramesses II [03/14/2008]
Lice From Mummies Provide Clues To Ancient Migrations [02/06/2008]
Is She Or Isn't She? Mummy Lab Working To ID Pharaoh Queen [12/25/2007]
Mystery Mummy (National Geographic, 9:00PM EST tonight - Ancient Caucasian Mummies Found In China) [12/02/2007]
Russian Archaeologists Find Unique Mummies In Egypt [11/29/2007]
What do mummies eat? [11/07/2007]
Face of King Tut unshrouded to public [11/04/2007]
Salt Men (Mummies) To Undergo Surgery [10/27/2007]
Scientists Uncover Inca Children's Countdown To Sacrifice [10/01/2007]
Peruvian Archaeologists Find 40 1,200-Year-Old Mummies (Kuelap) [09/20/2007]
Bog Mummies Yield Secrets [09/10/2007]
Paging Mr. Indiana Jones [Curse of the Mummy!] [08/26/2007]
Scientist stars in mummies film [08/01/2007]
Researchers Divulge Details About Mummy (Red-Headed Egyptian?) [07/29/2007]
Iran, Germany, And Britain To Decide On Fate Of Salt Men [07/23/2007]
Mystery of Tut's Father: New Clues on Unidentified Mummy [07/10/2007]
Egyptologists Think They Have Hatshepsut's Mummy [06/26/2007]
Caption Barbara Boxer and friends [06/26/2007]
Mummy of Egyptian queen Hatshepsut may have been found (in a humble tomb in the Valley of the Kings) [06/25/2007]
Scientists say 'Iceman' died from arrow [06/07/2007]
Sixth Salt Man Discovered In Chehr-Abad Mine [06/05/2007]
Voyage To Prove Pharaohs Traded Cocaine [05/29/2007]
Genetic Testing Reveals Awkard Truth About Xinjiang's Famous (Red-Headed) Mummies [03/06/2007]
Mummy's Amazing American Maize [02/14/2007]
China Striving For (Caucasian) Mummy Identification (2,800-YO) [12/24/2006]
British Experts Started Studies On Zajan's Salt Men In Iran [11/27/2006]
American Drugs In Egyptian Mummies [11/11/2006]
Mummy DNA Reveals Birth Of Ancient Scourge [10/08/2006]
The Spirit Cave Man Lawsuit (9,400 YO American Mummy) [10/04/2006]
Oxford Archaeologists Want To Join Studies On Iran's Salt Men [09/30/2006]
Pa-Ib a real person, but royalty?(PT Barnum Mummy) [09/19/2006]
Archaeologists Find 2,500-Year-Old Mummy In Mongolia, Tattos And All (Blonde Headed Scythian) [08/25/2006]
Mummy set to return to Canaries after 200 years [08/18/2006]
In Mongolia Archaeologists Discover Permafrost Mummy With Fur Coat (Scythian Soldier - 2,500 YO) [08/17/2006]
Tocharians [07/26/2006]
German Archaeologists To Excavate Salt Men's Burial Ground In Iran [06/23/2006]
Massive Mummy Fraud Discovered After 2,000 Years [06/21/2006]
Tattooed Mummy With Jewelry Found in Peru [05/16/2006]
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Intact tomb found in Egypt's Valley of the Kings [02/09/2006]
Egypt Mummy Shows Taste For Pork [01/15/2006]
Mummified Body Found Sitting In Front Of TV [01/10/2006]
Woman who died in '03 left in front of TV [01/09/2006]
New Studies Show Fourth Salt Man Is 2000 Years Old [12/23/2005]
CT tells mummy's secret: Preservation no accident [11/27/2005]
Chile Mummies Possibly Done In By Arsenic (Chinchorro) [11/24/2005]
Mummification becomes popular as a way of becoming immortal [10/28/2005]
Ophthalmologist To Examine Ancient Chilean Mummy Eyes [10/21/2005]
Grim relics [10/14/2005]
The Man in Salt, Salzwelten, Hallstatt, Austria [09/08/2005]
Egyptian mummy brought to virtual life in US technology mecca [08/05/2005]
Microprobe Makeover For Museum's Mummy (Australia) [06/28/2005]
Bog Mummy Mistaken For Murder Victim (Germany) [06/28/2005]
Egyptian Archaeologists Announce 'Beautiful' Mummy Found [05/31/2005]
Peru Ruins Reveal Their History [05/18/2005]
Archaeologists Uncover Tombs at Peruvian Ruins [05/16/2005]
Tutankhamen Died of Gangrene [05/12/2005]
Tutankhamun died of gangrene [05/10/2005]
CT Scans Show What King Tut Looked Like [05/10/2005]
2,300-Year-Old Mummy Unveiled in Egypt [05/03/2005]
Genetic testing reveals awkward truth about Xinjiang's famous mummies (Caucasian) [04/19/2005]
Mummies Undergo CT Scans at Calif. Museum [04/10/2005]
St Pete Researchers Find Tattoos On Ancient Siberian Mummies [03/29/2005]
Mystery of the Cocaine Mummies [03/25/2005]
The Sand Dune Forgotten By Time (Caucasian Mummies In China - More ) [03/19/2005]
Mummy Tar In Ancient Egypt [02/06/2005]
How did Abe Lincoln's assassin really meet his end? [01/18/2005]
Pray for our Pappa, our Mummy, Me, Hepzy and Lesly [01/09/2005]
2,300-year-old mummy found in Mexico [12/19/2004]
Excavators Discover 20 Mummies in Egypt [12/08/2004]
King Tut, Part 2 [12/06/2004]
King Tut Exhibit Could Prove to Be Gold Mine [12/03/2004]
King Tut Exhibit Could Prove to Be Gold Mine (Coming to the USA in 2005 for 27 month/4 city tour) [12/03/2004]
The Mummies of Urumchi [11/16/2004]
Egypt Hopes to Solve Riddle of Tutankhamun Death [11/14/2004]
Bodies Found in Alabama May Date to 1930s [10/22/2004]
Mummy Hair Reveals Drinking Habits [09/23/2004]
Camisea Pipeline Unearths Ancient Peru Relics [09/20/2004]
New robot to uncover Pyramid mysteries: Egyptologist [09/16/2004]
Egyptians Spared No Expense on Animal Mummies [09/15/2004]
Italian Mummy Source of 'The Scream'? [09/07/2004]
Man lay dead in bed for two years [08/28/2004]
Chinese Lady Dai Leaves Egyptian Mummies For Dead [08/25/2004]
Hundreds of Mummies Found in Egyptian Caves [05/22/2004]
'Burying The Mummy Will Stop The Earthquakes' ("Altai Princess") [04/01/2004]
700-year-old Peruvian mummies found (so well preserved -- an eye and internal organs intact) [02/24/2004]
Mummy Tells Tale Of Infection (Chagas) [02/03/2004]
Relics Of Ancient Burial Rites Reveal Siberian Trade Route [01/16/2004]
First Lion Mummy Found in Tomb of King Tut's Wet Nurse [01/14/2004]
Siberian Graveyard's Secret (More Redheads) [01/08/2004]
Mummified body found in North Dallas home [12/23/2003]
Suprise Find Has Archeologists Smiling (Mummies - Egypt) [12/21/2003]
The Curse Of The Red-Headed Mummy [12/12/2003]
Egyptian Busted for Trying to Sell Mummy [10/31/2003]
Ancient Mummy, Probably Pharaoh, Returns to Egypt [10/28/2003]
Egypt's 'Ramses' mummy returned (Ramses I) [10/26/2003]
Team Find Secret Of Mummies' Preservation [10/23/2003]
Egypt Uses Science to Dispel Pharaonic Curse [09/12/2003]
Egypt demands return of Rosetta Stone- threatens to pursue its claim "aggressively" [07/20/2003]
Nefertiti mummy 'found in Egypt' [06/10/2003]
Found: Queen Nefertiti's Mummy [06/08/2003]
Atlanta Sends Mummy Home [04/30/2003]
Mummified children's bodies found at Polish flat [04/28/2003]
Helen Thomas stars in a CNN Special Movie Presentation [03/29/2003]
Hungry Dogs Find 2,500-Year-Old Mummy (Backyard) [03/24/2003]
Hey Dude! Pass the tana leaves. [02/13/2003]
A lost city has been descovered in Egypt (The Scots and the lost city of Egypt). [02/12/2003]
Translators unravel old scroll's secrets [01/11/2003]
The missing sun temples! (Where are they?) [01/03/2003]
Curses! Mummy Tale Not True [12/20/2002]
Curse of Tutankhamen finally laid to rest [12/19/2002]
The Curse Of The Red-Headed Mummy [12/01/2002]
Professor Turns Mummified Hand Into Teaching Tool [10/22/2002]
"Mummified" duckbill dinosaur [10/16/2002]
"Mummified" Dinosaur Discovered In Montana [10/15/2002]
Separated at Birth ? [10/04/2002]
New Likeness of King Tut on Display [09/30/2002]

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