Tattoo the World: Princess Ukok

Tattooing had been around for millenniums almost as long as we have been able to communicate we have been marking our bodies. I am not against tattoos actually quite the opposite I love it and am always looking forward to my next sitting. One thing I do enjoy is the history of tattooing, I find it very interesting how all sorts of different cultures separated by miles would all perform similar rituals.

Recently a very interesting and cool piece of skin art history has come into the spotlight. About two decades ago mummified remains were found in Altai Mountains that were preserved in the permafrost so that some of the skin with ink remained intact. In case your geography is a little rusty the Altai Mountains are found where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan meet, don’t worry I had to look that up.

The mummy, or princess Ukok as the scientists have named her, was found with many of her earthly possessions surrounding her so as to take them with her to the afterlife. Little Miss Ukok is believed to be a woman of some sort of importance in her culture and is thought to be a part of the ancient nomadic Pazyryk people. Her sick sleeves of ink were to show her power and accomplishments to her people who existed over 2,500 years ago.

 

She looks very attractive would you say? Don't judge her to hard I doubt any one would look as good after spending over two thousand years in a tomb underground. As you can see on her shoulder there her ink is still very much intact and well preserved on her leathery hide.

It is theorized that tattoos during this time period were used as a sort of passport system so as to identify who you are as you roam across territories. I almost would prefer this system if we were able to pick our own ink but in modern day terms it would be the same as us all having bar codes on our wrists.

It is uncertain as to whether the princess was a woman of high nobility or a holy woman or healer. To her extensive amount of skin art it is almost a given that within her tribe she was considered to be of high importance. This is what scientists and historians believe all of her tattoos would look like, it is a best guess.

She had a sick amount of ink and I am sure in her day she was a rad alternative chick who would be awesome to hang out with.

Sincerely Urban Yeti