A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences used a new laser illumination technique to reveal fine-line tattoos on 1,200-year-old mummies from Peru’s Chancay culture, uncovering details hidden for centuries. Laser-stimulated fluorescence, originally developed to examine dinosaur fossils, was applied to the remains. The findings were released on January 13, reported IFLScience.
For the investigation, the team focused on mummies discovered in 1981 at the Cerro Colorado cemetery in Peru’s Huaura Valley. They belonged to the Chancay culture, which flourished on Peru’s central coast from about 1000 to 1470 CE. Radiocarbon dating placed the mummies between 1222 and 1282 CE, in the pre-Inca period. Tattoos on their hands, arms, and other body parts had faded over time, but the laser technique allowed researchers to uncover the original ink patterns.
“I still can’t believe how narrow the lines were in the high-detail tattoos we studied. The fact that a standard #12 modern tattoo needle can’t do this tells us there is still a lot to learn from early tattoo making even from tattoos that are over 1,000 years old,” said Michael Pittman, an archaeologist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and co-author of the study, according to Science Alert. Some lines measured 0.1 to 0.2 millimeters thick, exceeding the precision of many present-day tattoo needles. “Using lasers that make skin faintly glow, we basically turn skin into a light bulb,” said Tom Kaye, a researcher at the nonprofit Foundation for Scientific Advancement in Sierra Vista, Arizona, according to a report by EL PAIS.
In many cases, the tattoos showed geometric shapes such as triangles and diamonds, a motif also found in other Chancay art forms. “Many of the designs, geometric patterns featuring triangles and diamonds, are shared in their other artistic media too such as pottery and textiles,” commented Pittman, reported IFLScience. Some designs appeared to be zoomorphic, displaying fine-line precision that was previously invisible.
Researchers suggested tattooing held cultural importance. “The fact that the most detailed Chancay art now belongs to highly detailed tattoos suggests that tattoos were an important artform to the Chancay with some appearing to have special significance to them,” said Pittman, according to IFLScience. The study also indicated that laser-stimulated fluorescence caused no harm to the mummies, making it a promising tool for further investigations.
Some experts proposed that the designs may have served as status symbols, while others suggested ritualistic or spiritual roles. Biology noted that uncovering these markings offered a better understanding of body art in pre-Hispanic South America. “We plan to image other ancient tattoos from around the world using this new technology as we believe it opens up an exciting new frontier to finding other impactful insights into the history of this important art form,” said Pittman, according to Popular Science.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
