Traditional bosnian tattoo

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The mention of traditional tattoos may not be something you associate with Bosnia and Herzegovina but it may surprise you to find there is a long history of tattooing on these rugged plains. Notably, the custom is largely tied to an area of Central and Southern Bosnia and, in particular, Bosnian Catholics (mostly women), going all the way back to the 15th century and the Ottoman rule.

That little girl in the middle there is Tea Turalija. She grew up in Bosnia and Herzegovina surrounded by tattooed women. Every day she would plant kisses on her great grandmother's hands, thinking nothing of the etchings on her arms.