| os have a history going back thousands of years, and | | | | named Amunet, who was discovered in Thebes. |
| very possibly tens of thousands. The earliest absolute | | | | Amunet had tattooed lines and dots arranged in |
| evidence of tattoos is from the skin of a famous | | | | ornamental patterns on her chest, back, pelvis and legs. |
| mummy who came to be known as Otzi. Otzi is a | | | | The tattoos on her back and chest were patterns of |
| mummy who was found trapped in the glacial ice of | | | | necklaces, belts and collars that were clearly |
| the Alps in the early 1990s. Originally thought to be | | | | ornamental. The tattoos over her pelvis were believed |
| someone who died relatively recently, after further | | | | to enhance fertility. |
| examination, he was found to be over 5000 years old. | | | | In Ancient Rome, most tattoos weren't ornamental in |
| Among the many interesting things scientists learned | | | | nature, but were used in a much different way. |
| about Otzi is that he had tattoos still visible on his | | | | Tattoos were used to track people who might |
| mummified skin. Rather than the tattoos we expect to | | | | otherwise be able to escape, desert or avoid |
| see in modern days such as symbols, animals and | | | | identification. Slaves, prisoners, gladiators, Christians and |
| plantlife, Otzi's tattoos were mostly made of a series | | | | mercenaries were all tattooed for these reasons. |
| of lines. The lines were over areas in his body where | | | | Soldiers, on the other hand, chose to be tattooed. |
| the scientists also found evidence of arthritis or other | | | | Military tattoos were considered a great source of |
| painful conditions, so they believe that his tattoos may | | | | pride for the Roman soldier. Soldiers tattooed |
| have been medicinal rather than ornamental. | | | | themselves to indicate their legion or unit and their rank, |
| Long before Otzi was tattooed in the Bronze Age, | | | | as well as for commemorative reasons such as for |
| there is evidence recovered during archaeological digs | | | | important battles or acts of bravery. The most |
| of probable tattoo implements as early as the Upper | | | | common places for tattoos among Roman soldiers |
| Paleolithic period (38,000 – 10,000 BC). These | | | | were on the face and the hands, presumably because |
| implements included red ochre, needles, and bone cups | | | | the tattoos could be easily seen and their meanings |
| stained with ochre. Some figurines discovered from | | | | quickly conveyed, but other areas of the body were |
| the same time period had designs on their skin, adding | | | | often tattooed as well. |
| more circumstantial evidence to the belief that these | | | | Members of many other ancient societies also |
| very ancient people tattooed their skin. | | | | tattooed themselves for various reasons. If you are |
| Moving forward in history, we also know that the | | | | interested in learning more about the history of tattoos, |
| ancient Egyptians tattooed themselves. The first | | | | some other societies who have an interesting tattoo |
| tattooed Egyptians were from the Middle Kingdom | | | | history are the early societies of Great Britain and |
| period (2160-1994 BC). The most famous tattooed | | | | Western Europe, South America, and Asia and the |
| Egyptian mummy from that period was a priestess | | | | Pacific Rim. |