Lorraine Siefke- Tattoos and Oral Culture

Tattoos play a significant role in the rituals and practices of oral cultures. I read an article, "Skin:Tattooed Amazons" by Adrienne Mayor which i found to be very interesting. Mayor writes, "The Scythian nomads "branded" figures on their shoulders, arms, chests, and thighs to "instill strength and courage" suggesting a magical function of tattoos" (104). Being someone who has tattoos I thought this to be an interesting concept. Do tattoos have a magical function? Can they give us strength and courage? In my opinion, yes. We often chose tattoos for a reason because they hold some sort of significance to our lives. For example, someone who has their decease grandmother's name tattooed on them may feel as if a part of her is still with them or merely looking at that tattoo gives them strength when faced with obstacles. So, yes tattoos often have this magical function to them.

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