Yurok "111" Tattoos

Traditional chin tattoos “111” (one-eleven) has been used by many Yurok women and other native tribes. These tattoos have different meanings for each person, as they are a mark of beauty, a transformation from girl to woman, or for spiritual reasons. The tattooing was often done with a sharp piece of flint or bone that was pricked into skin until the shape of the tattoo was finished. Soot or carbon from two pieces of charcoal was then rubbed together to make a glossy black flour and then rubbed into the wound. After about two weeks this beauty treatment and recovery was complete.