Archaeology Magazine uncovered an iceman decorated with markings on areas of the body prone to injury, such as the knees and lower back, that show the possibility of tattoos being used as medicine in ancient times.
The iceman, named Ötzi, also provides one of the few examples of tattoos in history that were not found in drawings or literature.
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According to Archaeology Magazine, “when Ötzi was first studied, archaeologists were shocked because they had never before seen Copper Age tattoos, and because acupuncture as a treatment for joint distress, rheumatism, and arthritis was thought to have originated in Asia more than 2,000 years later.”
To read more about Ötzi and to read more about ancient tattoos click here.