Free Republic

Tattoos have been around for millennia. People got them at least five thousand years ago. Today they’re common everywhere from Maori communities in New Zealand to office parks in Ohio. But in the ancient Middle East, the writers of the Hebrew Bible forbade tattooing. Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves.” Historically, scholars have often understood this as a warning against pagan practices of mourning. But language scholar John Huehnergard and ancient-Israel expert Harold Liebowitz argue that tattooing was understood differently in ancient times. Huehnergard and Liebowitz...

Fashion has always been obsessed with mythology. Whether it’s Medusa on the Versace logo, or Gucci’s Dionysus handbag, brands continually lift inspiration from mythological figures—be it Hermes or Nike. Even in 2023, the crossover between fashion and mythology is still going strong. Now, the focus is on mythology, which is seeing buzz in the tattoo world. Greek gods and goddesses have been among the most popular tattoo styles this summer, according to tattoo artist Kiljun Chung (who goes by the moniker @kiljun on Instagram). Whether it’s an entire leg covered in a Greek tragedy, or Medusa on your arm, these...

Three decades worth of research have yielded intimate details of Ötzi's life from his age, height and weight to manner of death -- felled by an arrow to the left shoulder sometime during early summer... Now, a team of European researchers has analyzed the tattoos scattered across Ötzi's body, as well as the various herbs and medicines found alongside his remains, to paint a clearer picture of the Iceman's community and its ancient medical practices, reports Joshua Rapp Learn for Science magazine... Previous studies of the Iceman's tattoos have hypothesized that the lines and crosses etched into his skin offered...

HOUSTON: Two alleged MS-13 gang members are now behind bars in Houston, charged with killing a woman as part of a 'satanic' ritual. The victim is an unidentified Hispanic woman whose body was found in February. Police now need your help identifying her. Court documents reveal horrifying allegations made by a 14-year-old girl, who accuses both men of 18 drug-fueled days of terror and sexual assault. Diego Rivera and Miguel Alvarez-Flores smiled and waved to Eyewitness News cameras in the court room earlier this morning, right before the charges were read against them. ... According to the teen's testimony to...