Understanding motivational, symbolic and forensic significance of tattoo-marks

Tattoos are a non-verbal form of expression with significant cultural, symbolic, and personal meaning across diverse societies. While prior research has explored the historical, cultural, and forensic significance of tattoos, gaps remain in understanding their role as identifiers in forensic anthropological contexts.

The main objectives of the present research were: to explore the motivations and choices of individuals to get their body/body parts tattooed; to analyze the symbolic meaning of tattoos, and to investigate how tattoos can be helpful in personal identification for criminal investigations.

This exploratory study was conducted in Chandigarh, India, involving 100 tattooed individuals, five tattoo artists, and 50 non-tattooed participants. Data was collected through self-administered schedules, interviews, non-participant observation, and secondary data sources. Participants were selected using purposive, convenience, and snowball sampling.

The findings revealed that motivations for tattoos varied widely, including personal storytelling, social media influences, idolization, individuality, and spiritual beliefs. Symbolically, tattoos served as expressions of personal identity and cultural affiliation. Forensic applications of tattoos were explored, highlighting their potential as secondary identifiers in situations where other forms of identification were not possible.

The findings highlighted diverse motivations for getting tattoos, with the primary reasons being personal storytelling (27%), spiritual beliefs (27%), and fashion (16%). Tattoos were found to be deeply intertwined with an individual’s personal, cultural, and social identity, with significant implications for forensic identification. Participants often chose tattoos to reflect personal milestones, memorialize loved ones, or express individuality, with many citing social media influences and idolization as key motivators. Tattoos, such as those on the lower arm, were more common among individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, often acquired in informal settings like fairs or religious festivals.