Tattooed Human Mummies Database, Version 5.0

The following presents a global data set identifying naturally- and deliberately preserved tattooed human remains from the archaeological record. The initial version of this list (Version 1.0) was compiled in 2016 for inclusion as Table 1 in the journal article “The World’s Oldest Tattoos” (Deter-Wolf et al. 2016). Benoît Robitaille, Lars Krutak, and Sébastien Galliot all contributed to that initial effort. Changes between versions are detailed below.

Entries in the data table are organized broadly by date, and rely on direct dating wherever possible. Where radiocarbon data is available, dates represent calibrated ranges. Each entry also includes documentation as to the associated archaeological culture, site, and significant source material. Citations are not comprehensive. At the present time, historical European examples, unpublished and/or unprovenienced specimens from museums and private collections, and deliberately-preserved historical skin samples are not generally included in the data set.