“As ancient as time, as modern as tomorrow.’

Why have tattoos been reinvented in so many cultures - and with so many different meanings - throughout history?

And yet, tattooing is constantly portrayed as a new ‘thing’, when tattoos were just for criminals or sailors.

Far from truth, tattoos and the art of painting ones skin is as old and as fascinating as humankind itself.

On this episode we focus on the evolution of tattooing with Dr Matt Lodder. A Senior Lecturer in Art History and Theory, and Director of American Studies at the University of Essex.Dallas and Matt explore the inventions that led the way to modern tattooing from 17th century pilgrims in Jerusalem getting religious iconography inked on their skins, through to the first tattoo parlour in the late 1880s, and to King George V.

This episode was produced by Emily Whalley

The senior producer is Charlotte Long

Edited and mixed by Thomas Ntinas.

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