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I've seen AE drawings of Asiatics with tattooed arms, but I've never seen a drawing of a Kemetan with a tattoo, nor read of a tattooed AE mummy. Does anyone know if AE people were tattooed, or was there a proscription?
I know there was a proscription against tattoos among the Israelites, carried forward to this day among modern Jews -- could this be yet another religious tradition with roots in Ancient Egypt?
ausar Member # 1797
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Scarification was quite common in Egypt. During the 11th dyanasty there are pictures of a tato lady in Kmt known as Kemsit. She was the wife of Menuhotep II I believe. In Modern Kmt[Egypt] the fellahin have tatoes and scarification. Modern Nubians also gash their cheeks.
Libyans in AE are also shown with assorted tatoes.
neo*geo Member # 3466
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I always thought tattoos were something the egyptians associated with barbarism...
ausar Member # 1797
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Where did you read that,neo-geo?
neo*geo Member # 3466
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quote:Originally posted by ausar: Where did you read that,neo-geo?
Libyans and Nubians were sometimes depicted with tattoos and weird piercings. They were supposed to represent barbarians. Like the Tamou image from Ramses III's tomb...
Osiris II Member # 3079
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On Archaeology magaine's web-site, (www.archaeology.org) you can read about an on-going dig at Hierkonpolis. Tattooing is referred to in the article. The cemetary being dug was mainly Nubian. Evidently, with these people at least, tattooing was thought to be personal adornment. It's a very interesting site--not only do they have articles relating to digs in Egypt, you can read about on-going excavations elsewhere.
ausar Member # 1797
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Tattooing was found in pre-dyanstic burials going far back in time.
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