A team of scientists from the Institute of Archaeology at University College London became the first researchers to utilize a new, cutting-edge laser imaging technology called laser-simulated fluorescence (LSF) to expose previously unseen tattoos on ancient Peruvian mummies. PNAS reported the study’s findings.
Lead researcher Michael Pittman and his team used LSF to analyze body art, which dates back 1,200 years, on mummies from Peru’s Chancay culture. The Chancay lived along the country’s coast between 900 and 1533 A.D. and were renowned for their complex artwork and intricate textiles, making their penchant for tattooing not at all surprising. The new study posits that the tattoos were created with tools immediately at hand, such as sharpened animal bones and cactus thorns. Much like their other artwork, Pittman said the tattoos were exquisitely detailed and painstakingly rendered.
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“Tattoos were a prevalent art form in pre-Hispanic South America exemplified by mummified human remains with preserved skin decoration that reflects the personal and cultural representations of their times,” the study’s authors said in a statement. “Tattoos are known to fade and bleed over time and this is compounded in mummies by the decay of the body, inhibiting the ability to examine the original art. Laser-stimulated fluorescence (LSF) produces images based on fluorescence emitted from within the target,” allowing scientists to get an unprecedentedly clear view of the tattoos.
LSF contrasted the natural texture of the mummies’ skin tones with the faded artwork, which makes the skin brightly glow and therefore reveal a detailed glimpse of the tattoos. This method essentially nullifies any ink deterioration and allows researchers to examine the art in great detail. Amongst the tattoos on the Chancay people were geometric patterns, commonly diamonds or triangles, as well as many different species of animals.
Pittman, et.al./PNAS
The study noted that relatively few members of the Chancay culture were tattooed, indicating that the body art was reserved for a select group of people within the society. Scientists believe the tattoos held significant social, cultural, and ritualistic significance for the Chancay culture, and were far more than simple body modifications. However, Pittman and his team stress that further analysis of more Chancay mummies is necessary before any definitive conclusions can be drawn.
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