MEDIEVAL TATTOOS!

Win a SIGNED copy of a new book on tattooing throughout human history

In 1122 a Chinese general called Yue Fei lay down on a table in front of his mother and had his back tattooed. The design was simple. Four characters were pricked into Yue Fei’s skin with a needle, and soot was rubbed into the open wounds so that they would scar blue.

Yue Fei was all wound up. He was heading out to battle. His mother was, we assume, emotional. What kind of parent wouldn’t be? And the words imprinted on Yue Fei’s skin were evocative and in a sense eternal.

JIN ZHONG BAO GUO

Serve, nation, utmost, loyalty.

This vignette comes from a terrific book that has landed on my desk this week. Painted People: Humanity in 21 Tattoos by Dr Matt Lodder blends art history with social and cultural studies, to present a tableau of global history from Otzi the Iceman to Dennis Rodman.

Those of you who know me a little will not be surprised to hear that I am fully into it.

You can pick up Painted People from Waterstones and all other good booksellers right now.

Or maybe I can send you a copy, signed by Matt Lodder himself. One way or another I have two spare copies of the book. And tomorrow I’ll be interviewing Dr Lodder at the Chalke Valley History Festival.

So, like, synergy. Or serendipity. Or whatever.

Matt has very kindly agreed to sign my spares, so I thought I would give them away to two of my loyal Substack followers.

If you want one, just leave a comment on this post. (You’ll have to be a paid subscriber to do that - but it’s kind of worth it, I think? I hope?) Some time around the middle of next week I’ll randomly select two of the comments and be in touch directly to get your address. Then I’ll mail you the signed book.

Sound good? Good. Over to you.

Dan x