The Eastern Anatolia – Mesopotamia Tattoo Culture Corridor: Geographic Distribution of Traditional Tattoo Practices in the Euphrates Basin

Traditional tattoo practices have persisted for centuries among various communities across the geographical area stretching from Eastern Anatolia to Northern Mesopotamia. This study examines traditional tattoo examples found along a cultural belt extending from Kars and Ardahan through Dersim, Kürecik and the Barak region to Şanlıurfa and Mardin. The research proposes that this geographical line can be defined as a “Tattoo Culture Corridor”. Although tattoo motifs vary from region to region, the techniques used in preparing and applying tattoos appear to be largely identical across the region. The geographical distribution of this tattoo tradition shows a remarkable parallel with historical migration routes, pastoral transhumance movements and cultural interaction zones developed along the Euphrates basin. The presence of similar tattoo practices among Kurdish, Turkmen, Karapapak, Arab and Yazidi communities suggests that this tradition should not be interpreted as belonging to a single ethnic group but rather as part of a broader cultural sphere connecting Eastern Anatolia and Northern Mesopotamia.