If tattoos are prone to fading within a single human lifetime, imagine the wear-and-tear on the tattoos of 1,200-year-old mummies.

These days, more than 30 percent of Americans sport tattoos—but there’s nothing new about our fascination with body art. As tattoos take over contemporary culture, scientists are looking to the past and uncovering the secrets of centuries-old ink.

Researchers used lasers to uncover intricate, hidden tattoos on 13th-century Peruvian mummies, revealing details of ancient body art invisible to the naked eye. View on euronews

Modern tattoo enthusiasts with access to numbing creams and electric machines might not appreciate the painstaking effort that went into body art centuries ago. But researchers have now uncovered a glimpse of this ancient artistry by revealing intricate tattoos on 1,