Researchers discovered 30 strange tattoos of lotus, baboon and god eye on the mummy of an Egyptian woman dating back 3,000 years.
According to the International Business Times, a 3,000-year-old mummy was found in Deir el-Medina, Egypt in 2014. Based on the soft tissue on the skin and the shape of the pelvis, scientists identified st patricks day it as a mummy. of a woman. The mummy's body is decorated with intricate tattoos such as a lotus, cow, baboon and the eye of the god Wadjet.
Anne Austin
a researcher at France's Institute of Oriental Archaeology, discovered many intricate ink drawings on the mummy's neck. Austin initially assumed the symbols were painted on the skin, but quickly realized they were in fact tattoos. These tattoos are difficult to detect because the mummy's skin becomes wrinkled over time, and has a layer of turpentine covering the outside.
In early 2016, Austin and his colleague Cedric Gobeil took X-rays and infrared images of the mummy's skin to get complete data on the number of tattoos on the woman's body. In total, the mummy has about 30 tattoos.
"Wadjet eyes are decorated on the back of the mummy's neck and shoulders. When you look at the mummy from any angle, the magic eyes will stare at you," Austin said.
Wadjet's eyes are the most obvious religious symbol
Other tattoos on mummies also carry sacred meanings. Some drawings, such as the bull, are related to the goddess Hathor, one of the most important deities in ancient Egypt. Goddess Hathor is the viking jersey embodiment of joy, love and motherhood. This deity is often depicted as a woman with a cow's head and ears, or simply in the form of a bull.
The tattoo is symbolic of the dead person's religiosity throughout life, researchers say. The mummy was most likely an important religious figure.