Student recreates tools used in early tattooing

Student recreates tools used in early tattooing

When Ötzi the Iceman was discovered in The Alps in 1991, researchers uncovered more than remarkably preserved skin on a frozen mummy. They found over 60 charcoal-inked tattoos etched across his body - permanent proof that humans have been marking their skin for over 5,000 years.

For Liz Scott, a senior archaeological studies major at UW-La Crosse, Ötzi was more than a fascinating discovery. He was the spark for a research project exploring how ancient people created tattoos - and how modern archaeologists can better recognize the tools they used.

"Seeing tattoos on someone that old makes you think about how long this practice has existed and how it got started," says Scott. "There's just something so personal and beautiful about tattoos."

Recreating the past

Mummified remains bearing tattoos have been discovered around the world, offering insight into identity, spirituality and even medical practices. But in North America, preserved skin on mummies is rare. That makes identifying tattooing tools in the archaeological record even more important.

Through experimental archaeology, Scott set out to better understand how ancient tattooing may have worked.

She crafted replica tools from turkey bones and created pigments from charcoal and red ochre - materials consistent with archaeological findings at an ancient burial site in Tennessee. In 1985, researchers found turkey bones with pigment residue on their tips dating to the late Archaic Period, roughly 3,000 years ago. The discovery aligned with tattooing materials documented worldwide.

But building the tools was only part of the experiment.

Testing the technique

Scott and her faculty mentor, Heather Walder, assistant professor of Archaeology & Anthropology, partnered with professional tattoo artists at Feral Fawn Studios in downtown La Crosse to test the replica bone tools on synthetic skin. Cat Dagendesh, master tattoo artist and business-owner, and her apprentice Maureen "Momo" Smith used the ancient-style tools to better understand how they would have been used by both new and experienced practitioners.

"Ancestors who used these tools would have been professionals," Scott explains. "They would have had practice and experience. Watching a master artist compared to an apprentice showed how much touch and technique matter."

Dagendesh says using the turkey bone was more challenging than a modern tattoo machine. Whereas tattooing a straight line with a modern tattoo machine would take minutes, the stick and poke method using the turkey bone took nearly 30 to 45 minutes to create one straight line.

"The process was just as challenging as I had expected," says Dagendesh noting that working with the synthetic skin also made it difficult. "With modern tattoo machines, it allows tattoo artists to be more elaborate with their designs. With the turkey bone stick and poke method, elaborate designs would be nearly impossible to finish in adequate time. Therefore, the designs would have to be simpler."

The testing revealed other insights as well such as the large amount of charcoal pigment needed to produce a line, how the bone's curve and tip sharpness affected line quality and control, and how long the tools lasted despite hours of use.

"Seeing it firsthand helped me connect the physical process to what archaeologists find in the field," says Scott.

The project goes beyond understanding ancient body art. It helps refine how archaeologists interpret artifacts.

Without context, modified bones could easily be cataloged as awls, which are small, pointed tools used for piercing holes. Experimental work like Scott's provides comparative evidence, helping future researchers recognize when a sharpened bone fragment may have been used for tattooing rather than puncturing hides or textiles.

By recreating the process, Scott isn't just studying the past - she's helping prevent it from being misinterpreted.

From assignment to ambition

The research began as a mock grant proposal for a class with Walder. But Walder encouraged Scott to submit it for a UWL Undergraduate Research & Creativity Grant.

"I didn't expect to get it. There was a lot of self-doubt," says Scott. "But getting that email saying the project was funded - that was exciting."

Now, Scott is considering graduate school to continue research - maybe even one day consulting on tattooed mummified remains. She's also exploring careers in cultural resource management or forestry.

For Scott and Walder tattooing is both academic and personal. They share an appreciation for body art of their own - a modern reflection of a tradition rooted deep in human history. While tools and techniques have evolved, the desire to leave a mark - or event tell a story - remains much the same.

"I've always respected my craft before my time, and this project just reiterates that even more," says Dagendesh.