Astudyrecently published in the journalPNAScatalogs this innovative technique, which involves laser-stimulated fluorescence (LSF).
Its no surprise, then, that the tattoos unearthed by researchers assume similar designs.
Other Chancay tattoos, Pittman continues, include vine-like and animal designs.
Photo: Michael Pittman and Thomas G Kaye
To learn more about Chancay tattoos and the research teams methodology, read thefull study inPNAS.
A recent study uncovered centuries-old Chancay tattoos on Peruvian mummies with astounding clarity using a laser-based technique.
Tattoos from the Chancay culture of coastal Peru.
Tattoos from the Chancay culture of coastal Peru. Figure from “Hidden artistic complexity of Peru’s Chancay culture discovered in tattoos by laser-stimulated fluorescence,” published January 13, 2025, inPNAS.
Researchers found that the tattoos resembled Chancay ceramics and textiles in their geometric motifs.
Art and location of the Chancay culture.
Mantle border fragment of funerary cloth from the Chancay culture, c. 1000-1470 CE.
Art and location of the Chancay culture. Figure from “Hidden artistic complexity of Peru’s Chancay culture discovered in tattoos by laser-stimulated fluorescence,” published January 13, 2025, inPNAS.
(Photo: Daderot viaWikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Vessel from the Chancay culture.
Mantle border fragment of funerary cloth from the Chancay culture, c. 1000-1470 CE. (Photo: Daderot viaWikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Vessel from the Chancay culture. (Photo: Walters Art Museum viaWikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Textile fragment with design of stylized birds and humans from the Chancay culture. (Photo: LACMA viaWikimedia Commons, Public domain)
