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Adam & Eve Tattoos

This week we look at three tattoos of unknown date that are thought to have come from the same person. Two of the tattoos depict the well-known religious story of Adam and Eve. Between the naked figures is the serpent of temptation winding itself around the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. In the top tattoo, Adam and Eve are covering their genitals with their hands, perhaps relating to when they became ashamed of their nakedness having eaten fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. In the bottom tattoo, they have their hands up and are uncovered, representing the time before this event. Underneath are the letters “PM..MB” which might be the initials of the individual and a loved one. The styles of the tattoos are very different, implying they were probably done at different times and by different individuals. The middle portion of skin has the sun, moon and stars tattooed on it. Astronomical motifs were commonplace with seafarers, so these specimens might have come from a sailor although without written records we can’t be sure