Mummies tattoos were not the rub-on type. Carrie Straight 05.14.01 Archaeologists often discover new objects hidden under hundreds or thousands of years of soil. In the past, different cultures have used tattoos as a symbol of their status or position in society or for medical reasons. Archaeologists can’t see tattoos except when the person with the tattoo is mummified. Even then seeing the tattoo is difficult. During an archeological dig in Sudanese Nubia, archaeologists found several mummified bodies at a gravesite. Many of these bodies had tattooing on their hands. Interestingly, they were all female. The tattooing was difficult to see under normal lighting conditions. So, the scientists used an infrared camera and film, which allowed them to take pictures of the tattoos that were more visible than using a normal camera. Because of the location of the tattoos, on the highly visible parts of the hands and arms, their design, and disassociation with joints (the tattoos were not located near joints), the archaeologists assume that they were not used for medical reasons, but were probably done for a social reason. Maybe past cultures tattooed to signify an important event in a person’s life or to make them appear more beautiful. Alvrus, Annalisa, David Wright, Charles F. Merbs. 2001. Examination of tattoos on mummified tissue using infra-red reflectography. Journal of Archaeological Science 28: 395-400. ©2001 The Aurora Collection, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Site Development by: Interactive Multimedia. Inc.