ABSTRACT
The Greeks viewed tattoos through their own cultural lens, but understood that different cultures viewed them differently. While on the surface, their own views of tattooing as a mark of servility were at the forefront of their interpretation of “barbarian” tattoos, there is evidence to suggest that the Greeks understood tattoos within an artistic framework. The terminology used to describe tattoos is often decorative and presents the ink work as like a tapestry. Furthermore, the presence of the tattoo in Greek vase paintings shows that it was a valid aesthetic within the Greek artistic framework.
