In a recent article, Kasia Szremski, Associate Director of CLACS at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, was interviewed about a groundbreaking study that used a laser-based technique to reveal intricate tattoos on mummies from Peru’s Chancay culture. Published on January 13 in PNAS, the study unveiled fine details of tattoos previously obscured by time. Szremski, an expert in the Chancay culture, emphasized their significance, noting their distinct black-on-white ceramics and textiles. Her insights helped contextualize the importance of this new research method, which uses laser-stimulated fluorescence (LSF) to expose tattoos as thin as 0.1-0.2 mm.

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