In a groundbreaking study published in Antiquity, a team of researchers has revealed the discovery of a medieval Nubian tattoo, shedding new light on the cultural and religious practices of the time. This discovery was made in the Ghazali Monastery Cemetery, located in the Bayuda Desert of northern Sudan, a site that has long been a focus of archaeological interest. The researchers, including Ph.D. candidate Kari A. Guilbault, Dr. Robert J. Stark, and Dr. Artur Obłuski, conducted a detailed post-excavation analysis of several burials, and among these was one individual who, for the first time in over a century, has been confirmed to have a tattoo. This makes him only the second ever identified case of a tattooed medieval Nubian.
The Ghazali Monastery Cemetery itself is historically significant. Established around AD 680, it functioned as a Christian monastic community until roughly 1275. The monastery, which was composed of a church and living quarters, was situated near iron smelting facilities, a settlement, and four distinct cemeteries. The primary cemeteries at the site include Cemetery 1, which was reserved for burials of great religious importance (ad sanctos burials), Cemetery 2, intended for the monastic community, and Cemetery 3, where lay individuals were interred. The function of Cemetery 4 remains uncertain. The tattooed individual was found in Cemetery 1, a location that was used for those with close ties to the religious center.
The individual in question, known as Ghz-1-002, was likely male and died between the ages of 35 and 50, as determined by skeletal analysis. Radiocarbon dating suggests he passed away between AD 667 and 774. Interestingly, while much of his body had naturally mummified due to the desert climate, most of his remains were skeletal, with the exception of his feet. Both of his feet showed exceptional preservation, and it was on his right foot that the tattoo was found.
The tattoo was initially noted during post-excavation analysis due to a dark discoloration on the foot. Using full-spectrum image analysis and DStretch technology (an advanced image-enhancing software), the research team was able to identify the faint outlines of a tattoo that measured approximately 16 x 26 millimeters. The tattoo featured three key Christian symbols: a Christogram (the Greek letters rho (P) and chi (X)), an alpha (A), and an omega (Ω or ω). These symbols are deeply connected to Christian iconography, with the Christogram representing Christ and the alpha and omega signifying Christ as the beginning and the end, the eternal and all-encompassing.
Guilbault explains that these symbols are consistent with the Christian faith, and the tattoo’s placement on the foot could indicate a personal, private devotion. “The tattoo symbols have long been representative of the Christian faith. The Roman emperor Constantine introduced the chi rho symbol, which was incorporated into the military standard. The alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, respectively, symbolic of Christ as the beginning and end, encompassing everything,” she stated. The use of feet as a medium for such tattoos is notable as well, with representations of feet being common in the Nile Valley region and frequently used to denote pilgrimage to sacred sites. As such, the tattoo might have been intended as a form of personal piety, visible only to the bearer, reinforcing the idea that it was a private sign of faith.
The historical context of tattooing in Nubia provides further depth to this discovery. While tattoos were not new in the region by the medieval period, this particular example is rare. In earlier periods of Nubian history, tattoos were predominantly worn by women and often featured geometric patterns or botanical motifs. Tattoos in these early periods were commonly found on the arms, torso, and legs, with some individuals even sporting tattoos on their necks. The discovery of a tattoo on the foot in the Nubian context is extremely rare, with the only other known example dating back to the C-group period (ca. 2400–1550 BCE) in Sudanese Nubia.
Interestingly, this tattoo is not the first religiously significant tattoo to be discovered in the region. A previous find, also from Sudanese Nubia, was a monogram of St. Michael found on a female’s thigh during the study of mummified remains at the British Museum. Like the Ghazali Monastery tattoo, this monogram was also religious in nature, highlighting the connection between tattooing and Christian iconography in the medieval period.
The placement of Ghz-1-002 in Cemetery 1, a site designated for those with close ties to the monastic community, supports the hypothesis that this individual was particularly devout. Given that Cemetery 1 was used for ad sanctos burials—those with a strong religious affiliation—this suggests that Ghz-1-002 was an individual of significant religious stature in his community. His tattoo, combined with his placement in such a sacred area, indicates that he may have been a deeply religious figure, one who sought to be interred near the holiest of sites in the monastery.
The discovery of this tattoo is an extraordinary find that not only provides insight into the religious practices of medieval Nubia but also contributes to our understanding of Christian rituals and expressions of faith during this period. Tattoos in ancient and medieval societies were often imbued with personal and spiritual significance, and this particular tattoo serves as a rare and valuable example of such a practice in Nubian Christianity.