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by Karolina Kasperek
Student at Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland

On the possibility of identifying tattoo tools among prehistoric bone artefacts. Experimental, traceological and physicochemical research.

Prehistoric tattoos are identified very rarely, because human mummies on which they are
preserved are a unique find. Despite this, you can basically be sure that they were performed
very widely and for various purposes. This can be proven by, among others, discoveries such
as Princess Ukok from the Pazyryk culture or the so-called Ötzi. Due to the rarity of finds, of
prehistoric tattoos, research on them and their commonness is basically impossible.
Analyzing the tools used to make them, a relatively large number of which are probably
preserved in prehistoric collections, may help solve this problem. The problem,
unfortunately, is that these products do not differ at first glance from other (similar in form)
artifacts made of stone or bone. However, pathological analyzes may help in their
identification.

The aim of the research described in this work was to identify and classify traces of use
produced on bone tools used during tattooing. The assumption was that this would allow
them to be distinguished from other types of bone tools dating back to prehistoric times, such as needles, perforators, awls, etc. Additionally, the first preliminary physicochemical analysis (SEM-EDX) of the residues present on the experimental tools was performed. The results of the experimental work were subjected to initial verification through microscopic analysis of a "spike" tool from the site of the Linear Band Ware culture.