Tattoos As Old As Time

Air Date:
Heard On The Morning Show
Ötzi is a European ice mummy with the world’s oldest known tattoos, about 5,300 years old. He has 61 tattoos on his body. Here are just a few of them. Image courtesy of Aaron Deter-Wolf

You might know about the famed tattooed ladies of the Victorian era. Their tattoos (and the skin they showed) were considered so outlandish and taboo that they made a living off traveling around and showing them to people at circuses and freak shows. But tattoos have actually been around for thousands of years, possibly even as long as humans themselves. The recent discovery of tattoos on two 5,000 year old Egyptian mummies underscores that possibility. This hour, we’re talking about why tattoos aren’t just a trend, but part of being human.

Episode Credits

  • Kate Archer Kent Host
  • Colleen Leahy Producer
  • Renée Friedman Guest
  • Aaron Deter-Wolf Guest

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