Etched in Meaning : Tattoos as a Continuation of an Ancient Cultural Practice in Bulgaria

Sammanfattning

Tattoos are an enduring companion to human culture, yet in Bulgaria, foreign tattooing traditions are recognised as cultural heritage, while the local scene is considered an entirely new concept. The cultural heritage potential of tattoos is unstudied and left to fade into obscurity as contemporary tattooing develops independently from past tattooing practices. This thesis aims to address this gap by asking: are contemporary tattoos in Bulgaria heritage, and can they be considered as a continuation of an ancient cultural practice? Through research into the historical tattooing practices in the region and qualitative interviews, the study examines people's attitudes towards tattooing, heritage, and possible connections between tattoos of the past and present. Findings reveal that contemporary tattooing is typically viewed as a separate phenomenon from heritage, while past tattooing customs are not considered. Simultaneously, all forms of tattooing share similar relationships to visual communication, meaning-making, and personal heritage. The results show that tattoos have a flexible place within heritage, representing remnants of the past and the artistic developments of a neo-traditional craft that is developing its legacies in ink.