“The Burman”

Abstract

THE opinion that the “tattooed man” was decorated in Burma has been generally received by anthropologists, and so far as I know, not hitherto contradicted. In addition to Mr. Franks' paper I may now refer to the Transactions of the Berlin Anthropological Society, in the Zeitschrift für Ethnolagie, vol. iv. 1872 p. 201, for an account of an examination of him by Prof. Bastian, who, as an authority on Burmese matters, has been already mentioned in connection with “Shway Yoe's” book. Prof. Bastian says, “as to the Burmese character of the tattooing there can be no doubt. The letters rather point to the Shans, to whose district many treasure-diggers resorted,” &c. It appears, also, that Konstantinos, when questioned as to the mode in which he was operated on, described the instrument as a split point carried in a heavy metal handle, which agrees with the Burmese method.