Oldest Known Tattoo Tools

Genipap and the Chimú Mummies

When tattooed mummies of the ancient Chimú culture were discovered in Peru, archaeologists were puzzled by the presence of a preserved fruit clutched in their hands... a fruit which is linked heavily to the paranormal and supernatural. What might this fruit, the genipap, tell us about the Chimú people and their tattoo practice? Instagram: ⁠⁠www.instagram.com/tattoologypod⁠⁠ [http://www.instagram.com/tattoologypod] Contact: tattoologypod@gmail.com Music is by Universfield from Pixabay Resources used for this episode: * Lars Krutak, “Pre-Columbian Tattoos of Western South America” [⁠https://larskrutak.com/pre-columbian-tattoos-of-western-south-america/⁠] * Pablo Albarenga, Francesc Badia I Dalmases, “Brazil’s Indigenous peoples mobilise against encroachment on their lands” [https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/democraciaabierta/brazil-indigenous-lands-mobilisation-landowners-agribusiness/], Open Democracy, 2022 * Rowan Menezes, “Jagua: The Traditional Blueish Dye Of The Shipibo Tribe For Body Art And Medicinal Purposes”, [https://jaguafactory.com/blogs/jagua/jagua-the-traditional-blueish-dye-of-the-shipibo-tribe-for-body-art-and-medicinal-purposes?srsltid=AfmBOorFJhdgrmP-9mWfdfRjKLYyhaO9xix4N9LmCfvzNdIqmy9qfaNk⁠ ] Jagua Factory, 2023 * Sankofa Mind + Body, “Genipapo for Spiritual Ceremony Preparation” [https://sankofamindandbody.com/genipapo-for-spiritual-ceremony-preparation/ ]

Human Bone Tattoo Tools

What a title for an episode! And it's not clickbait, it's not an exaggeration. But it's also not nearly as "grim" or "creepy" as it may sound, so I hope everyone sticks around to learn more about these fascinating, old, and macabre tattoo tools... Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/tattoologypod⁠ [http://www.instagram.com/tattoologypod] Contact: tattoologypod@gmail.com Music is by Universfield from Pixabay Resources used for this episode: * Danielle Maguire, "World's 'oldest' tattooing kit discovered in a box years after it was thought to be lost" [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-05/worlds-oldest-tattoo-kit-human-bones-tonga-archaeology/10872926], ABC News, 2019 * Megan Gannon, "2,700-Year-Old Polynesian Tattoo Kit Found — and the 'Needles' Were Made of Human Bone" [https://www.livescience.com/64947-tonga-tattoo-combs-discovered.html⁠ ], Live Science, 2019 * The Conversation, "World’s oldest tattooist’s toolkit found in Tonga contains implements made of human bone" [https://theconversation.com/worlds-oldest-tattooists-toolkit-found-in-tonga-contains-implements-made-of-human-bone-109427⁠], 2019

Oldest Known Tattoo Tools

This week, lets have a brief chat about some current discussions happening in the tattoo field, then talk about the OLDEST tattoo tools discovered here in the US! Instagram: www.instagram.com/tattoologypod [http://www.instagram.com/tattoologypod] Contact: tattoologypod@gmail.com Music is by Universfield from Pixabay Resources used for this episode: * Aaron Deter-Wolf, Lars Krutak “Ancient Ink”, University of Washington Press, 2017 * Aaron Deter-Wolf, Tanya M. Peres, Steven Karacic, “Ancient Native American bone tattooing tools and pigments: Evidence from central Tennessee” [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351273737_Ancient_Native_American_bone_tattooing_tools_and_pigments_Evidence_from_central_Tennessee⁠], Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Vol. 37, 2021 * Bruce Bower, “The oldest known tattoo tools were found at an ancient Tennessee site - Sharpened turkey leg bones may have served as tattoo needles at least 3,620 years ago” [https://www.sciencenews.org/article/oldest-tattoo-tools-tennessee-native-american⁠ ], ScienceNews, 2021

Gebelein Man (Oldest Figural Tattoo)

Welcome back! This week, let’s learn about a fascinating pair of tattooed mummy from Egypt, one of which holds the current record for the world oldest figural tattoo. Instagram: www.instagram.com/tattoologypod Contact: tattoologypod@gmail.com Music is by Universfield from Pixabay Resources used for this episode: * Aaron Deter-Wolf, Lars Krutak “Ancient Ink”, University of Washington Press, 2017 * Brigit Katz, "Earliest Figural Tattoos Discovered on 5,000-Year-Old Mummies [⁠https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/earliest-figural-tattoos-discovered-5000-year-old-mummies-180968321/⁠]", Smithsonian Magazine, 2018 * Daniel Antoine, “Virtual autopsy: discover how the ancient Egyptian Gebelein Man died” [⁠https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/virtual-autopsy-discover-how-ancient-egyptian-gebelein-man-died⁠ ], The British Museum, 2012, accessed Jan 2026

Oldest Tattooed Bog Body in the UK

Lindow Man, a famous preserved bog body found in Cheshire, North West England, is often regarded as the oldest tattooed person in the UK. But (plot twist) this may not be true... *cue suspenseful music* Instagram: www.instagram.com/tattoologypod Contact: tattoologypod@gmail.com Music is by Universfield from Pixabay Resources used for this episode: * Don Brothwell, ⁠"A Faith in Archaeological Science : Reflections on a Life⁠ [https://archaeopress.com/ArchaeopressShop/DMS/78982D2A225C4B44901B49631E10185E/Brothwell%20-%20contents.pdf ]", 1st ed. Archaeopress, 2016, accessed May 2025 * Miranda Aldhouse-Green, “Bog Bodies Uncovered”, 2015 * Sacred Gold, "Tattooing in the UK: From Ancient Tattoos to Modern Art" [https://sacredgold.shop/blogs/sacred-gold-tattoo-articles/tattooing-in-the-uk-from-ancient-times-to-modern-art ], accessed May 2025 * Tomasz Czekaj, "The Evolution Of Tattoo Culture In British Society: From Taboo To Mainstream Art [https://tommicrazy.com/the-evolution-of-tattoo-culture-in-british-society-from-taboo-to-mainstream-art/]", tommicrazy.com [http://tommicrazy.com] * Wikipedia, "Lindow Man" [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindow_Man ]