Abstract
This chapter reviews the medical anthropology of tattooing from prehistoric to modern applications. The tattooing found on the 5,300-year-old Tyrolean frozen mummy called the “Iceman” is among the earliest evidence there is that tattooing was used to treat illness—notably, it may have alleviated the pain the Iceman likely suffered from arthrosis, biliary calculi, Lyme disease, or the prolonged use of the bow. Radiological studies have highlighted the direct relationship between lesion and cure, and the multispectral photography technique used to map the Iceman’s tattoos illuminated marks not otherwise visible. The chapter examines the cross-cultural use of tattooing for therapeutic and medical purposes, recent studies of how tattooing may prime the body’s healthy immune and endocrine responses, and dermatological and behavioral risk studies associated with tattooing. Finally, it advocates for newer research perspectives that consider tattooing forms as diverse, prosocial cultural practices with the potential to heal.