Tattooing as a Cultural Heritage among Ancient Egyptian Thought through the Ages and Modern Technologies

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities - Specialization in ancient Egyptian antiquities.

2 Professor of Ancient Egyptian Antiquities and Dean of the Cairo Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotels.

Abstract

The ancient Egyptians knew tattoos in the form of deities that accompanied their bodies to protect them from infertility in their first life and their keenness to find a meaning that would grant them renewal and physical fertility in their second life. They tattooed deities to stimulate fertility in this life and to ensure the continuity of the family as well as to be resurrected again in eternal life. Among these, but not limited to, are those shaped like the god "Bes" and the goddess "Taweret". Many girls also used it as a talisman that would grant them marriage at an early age. Therefore, it touched on both the aesthetic and doctrinal aspects and was also used for protection during childbirth for the mother and the newborn. It was associated with fertility in men because it depicted some forms and symbols of fertility such as the monkey and the penis, which are what the scenes carry with sexual connotations. The presence of a tattoo on the upper thigh also has a sexual connotation for prostitutes. Tattoos also had magical significance in ancient Egyptian thought, as images of monkeys adorned magic wands placed under the abdomen of pregnant women since the Middle Kingdom to protect them from miscarriages, sometimes caused by evil spirits. Tattooing has continued to this day. The study aims to introduce the concept of tattooing, its themes, the deities and beliefs associated with it, the tools used in its creation among ancient Egyptians, and its development during the Greek and Roman eras, all the way to the modern era. This study is conducted through two axes: the first is historical development, and the second is a comparative study to identify similarities and differences and establish tattooing as a cultural heritage with ancient Egyptian roots. The phenomenon of tattooing has become increasingly prevalent in the modern era, and its techniques have evolved significantly, both in the tools and materials used, in line with scientific developments and modern research.

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