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Tattoos: a 5,000 year history

Dr Matt Lodder explores 5,000 years of tattooing history – from Otzi the Iceman, to King Edward VII

Published: January 30, 2023 at 11:12 AM

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Throughout history, people have got tattooed for a huge range of reasons, whether religious devotion, artistic expression, or to demonstrate cultural belonging – or cultural difference. Dr Matt Lodder talks to Charlotte Hodgman about 5,000 years of tattooing history, exploring everything from the punishment tattoos of ancient China to the pilgrim tattoos adopted by Victorian aristocrats, including a future king.

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Matt Lodder is the author of Painted People: Humanity in 21 Tattoos (HarperCollins)

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Authors

Charlotte HodgmanHead of video operations

Charlotte Hodgman is head of video operations at HistoryExtra

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