Tattoo History (Online)

This vividly illustrated live Zoom talk by tattoo anthropologist Dr. Lars Krutak, will explore the tradition of tattooing among Indigenous peoples and other tattoo communities, past and present. Drawing from the accounts of explorers, historians, anthropologists, and Dr. Krutak’s own field research, this talk is a record of tattoo artistry and culture presented through interviews, objects, videos, and images from around the tattoo world dating from 5000 B.C.E. to the present. Registration Required.

Don't have a smart device to view this program? Contact us about viewing the program at the Library in our Zoom room.

About the Presenter:

Dr. Lars Krutak (USA) is an American anthropologist, photographer, and writer known for his research about tattoo and its cultural background. For more than 20 years, he has lived and studied with Indigenous tribes around the world to learn about their tattooing practices and related traditions.

Dr. Krutak is the author of more than 90 articles for scientific journals and popular magazines and his books cover the tattoo history of Native North America, the northern Philippines, the archaeological history of tattooing, and the spiritual aspects of tattooing and scarification, including ancient tattooed mummies.

Apart from his publications, Krutak produced and hosted the 10-part documentary series Tattoo Hunter on the Discovery Channel, which traveled the Indigenous world to showcase vanishing forms of body modification as well as the Instagram TV documentary Patterns of Life: Tattoos of the Naga.

In 2024, Krutak will publish two new books, including Tattoo Traditions of Asia (the first book on the subject) by the University of Hawai’i Press. You can find more information about Dr. Krutak and his work on his website: LarsKrutak.com