Egyptian Women's Forehead Tattoos!
Traditionally, these were tattoos, called dakk, and were at one point fairly common among Egyptians. However, the practice of traditional tattooing has faded in Egypt, except for among the Copts, who still get tattoos for religious reasons. When you see a young woman with marks on her face today, she has drawn them on in a temporary ink or dye.
The most common forehead designs are of 6 types: this one is what I would call a palm branches, though I'm not sure what it was named when tattoos were more common.
This is what I've termed a trefoil. I actually have more examples of this, and it seems to be the most common forehead design in depictions of Egyptian tattoos.
This one is a curl; this design is uncommon, and this is the only photo I've found of it. I suspect this design was drawn on with kohl or another temporary ink.
You may also see a circle or sun. The second photo here may actually have been a trefoil when the tattoo was fresh.
The next motif I've seen is a cross (figures 10-11). The cross on the forehead was specific to Copts, and this motif was also used by Ethiopians, who Copts have a kinship with.
The Beoduins in Egypt also have a unique set of tattoos, and their forehead tattoos are usually triangular. This design is also seen in Palestine, and a similar design is used in the Maghreb.
Tattoos are worn by both men and women in Egypt, but this type of tattoo is most common with women. It is unclear when this way of tattooing started in Egypt. The Pharaonic Egyptians tattooed, but I have not seen much evidence they tattooed the face. Unfortunately, the history of tattooing is full of holes. I can't even definitively tell you when Copts started tattooing; if it was a continued tradition from earlier parts of Egyptian culture or if it was re-adopted later.
