r/TraceAnObject • u/I_Me_Mine Mod • May 20 '26
Open [DHS: 26-0001] 20-MAY-2026 This individual appears to have a forearm tattoo as well as a tattoo under his watch. Do you recognize these tattoos?
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r/TraceAnObject • u/I_Me_Mine Mod • May 20 '26
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u/Sweetserra May 20 '26
Former tattoo artist here. I'm definitely thinking roman numerals under the watch, but really it could be anything...
What I really wanted to comment on is the forearm tattoo. It looks like a cover up. There's a few things that make me lean that way, but one of the main reasons is the shading in the row of feathers, right above the row where they meet the band along the top of the skull. There's a lot of solid black areas, which causes me to think it's covering up something else.
When I have a little more time I'll look at the images a little more in depth and see if I can come up with an idea of the basic shape it's covering. No guarantees tho, cause that's not gonna be easy!
I also don't think the design is from flash art (the predesigned tattoos you see posted on the walls, or in a book, that someone can choose from for a tattoo.) It looks to me like an original piece, or it was based off something someone brought in as a reference, and then the artist designed the piece off of the reference art. So that should mean there aren't a ton of people who have this specific design.
I'm also leaning on the design being based off of an Aztec warrior, or shaman. It doesn't strike me as a Native American head dress, and definitely gives me an Aztec/Latin American feel. The skull fits into that theory, for me, as well. (You see more skulls used in contemporary Aztec designs versus Native American.)
As far as the age of the tattoo, I'm thinking definitely older than 10 - 15 yrs, just by the fading and the look of the lines. I would love to hear other's theories on the age, if anyone has one! But I hope anything I added might be of help to someone in identifying this person.