Tattoos are a way of altering one’s skin and, arguably, one’s identity. Tattoos can be signifiers of a way of life and a culture. They also form part of the code of a person; they are literally their skin. Groups of people may share tattoo designs that signal their belonging, individuals may be tattooed to signify their ‘difference’ from the mainstream. Whatever the reason for the tattoos, they tell a story about the person wearing them.
However, when a person dies, so does their flesh and therefore their tattoos. Post-mortem removal of these tattoos allows the tattoo to continue do exist; the question is, does it also allow the deceased to continue to exist in some way?
This talk will look at some of the practices and beliefs around tattoos and, particularly, post-mortem tattoo preservation.
athryn Berry, a PhD researcher in Death, Religion and Culture at the University of Winchester, explores the fascinating intersection between tattoos, identity, and death. Her primary research focuses on Victorian rural death, but her interests span a wide range of topics within death, religion, and culture.
In this talk, Kathryn will examine the cultural significance of tattoos—how they can serve as expressions of identity, belonging, and individuality. Tattoos are more than just body art; they are part of a person's story, a visible code on the skin that may signal connection to a group or a way of standing apart from the mainstream.
But what happens to this expression of identity after death? Tattoos typically perish with the body, yet in some cases, they are removed and preserved post-mortem. This talk delves into the practices and beliefs surrounding post-mortem tattoo preservation and asks a thought-provoking question: if the tattoo survives, does some part of the person live on as well?
About our speaker
Kathryn Berry is studying towards a PhD in Death, Religion and Culture with The University of Winchester. Her specialism is in Victorian rural death but her research interests encompass a range of areas across death, religion and culture.
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