Smithsonian Mag: Tattoos in Ancient Egypt
If you’re interested in ancient Egypt, you’ll find this excerpt from the Smithsonian Magazine’s Blog on the origin of tattoos intriguing and also full of information:
Tattoo Art in Egypt
It was believed for a long period of time that tattoo art originated in Ancient Egypt where many figurines, tomb scenes and mummified bodies were found with tattoo art on them. It should be noted where as one might think tattoos was a way for male self expression, tattoo art in ancient Egypt was only found on women. For a short time researchers thought that the act of tattooing an Egyptian women meant that she was a prostitute or a dancer, usually being of no importance.However as more research was done on this evidence it was discovered that only a certain class of women wore tattoo art and these women did not belong to the lower classes, but the more important upper classes in Egyptian society. It is now believed that the tattoo art of ancient Egyptian women were located almost exclusively over the breasts, upper thigh and stomach. The designs used were generally a net like pattern of dots across the skin. It is now believed that the ancient Egyptian women used the tattoo as a form of protection rather than self expressive decoration and it was meant to keep the mother and children in the womb safe during the pregnancy and childbirth.
I wonder if the many young people who feel compelled to adorn their bodies with tattoo art have had a reincarnation experience in ancient Egypt.
Carol Chapman
