Wrapping in Images: Tattooing in Polynesia (Oxford Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology)

In traditional Polynesian societies, tattooing has played a key role in the social construction of the individual. This is the first study to provide a comparative analysis of tattooing in its original setting--based on a comprehensive survey of both written and oral sources. Drawing on modern social theory, psychoanalysis, and anthropological studies, Gell demonstrates the role of tattooing in the complex array of controlling sacredness and protecting the self.Gell, Alfred is the author of 'Wrapping in Images: Tattooing in Polynesia (Oxford Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology)', published 1993 under ISBN 9780198278696 and ISBN 0198278691.