Embodying the Divine: A Tattooed Female Mummy from Deir el-Medina

Abstract

During the 2014 Ifao mission at Deir el-Medina, we identified the torso of a female mummy that was heavily tattooed along the arms, shoulders, neck, and back. This article presents this tattooed mummy by first contextualizing the discovery within broader research on tattooing in ancient Egypt. We then describe the nature of this mummy and her tattoos through a detailed discussion of their placement and symbolism. Finally, we discuss the potential implications this woman has not only for the history of tattooing in Egypt, but also women’s roles in Egyptian magic, medicine, and religion during the New Kingdom.