Oldest figurative tattoos

The oldest figurative tattoos are a Barbary sheep, a wild bull, a series of S-shapes and an L-shaped motif, found on the skin of two naturally mummified individuals dating to 3351–3017 BCE. The Gebelein mummies – named after the ancient Egyptian site in which they were found – are curated in the collection of the British Museum in London, UK. While slightly older geometric tattoos have been discovered, the Gebelein mummy tattoos are the earliest known to depict identifiable figures.

The Gebelein mummies were discovered on a male and female excavated in 1900. According to research published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, the male – estimated to have died at the age of 18–21 from a stab wound in the back – has what is understood to be a Barbary sheep and a wild ox tattooed on his upper arm, symbolizing strength and virility. The female has on her shoulder a series of S-shaped motifs and an L-like shape on her arm, making her the oldest-known tattooed female in the world; the British Museum researchers suggest that her S-shaped tattoos mirror motifs found on the pottery of the period, and the L-shaped probably represents a baton or crooked stave seen in depictions of ritual dance in ancient Egyptian art. Both sets of tattoos were etched into the dermis with carbon – likely soot – and a sharp implement such as a copper needle. The tattoos were revealed when infrared light was shone on dark smudges on the mummies' skin.

To date, the earliest-known tattoos are on the body of Otzi the Iceman, dating to around 3370–3100 BCE, and depict geometric shapes.