Belgium— Tattoo scenes & cities

In Antwerp, tattooing came from the harbour. A shop opened in 1943 on the Schippersstraat, in the heart of the port district, by Joe Pancho, a former sailor born in Chicago and nicknamed "Professor Tattoo", is among the first in Belgium. The MAS museum in Antwerp tells his story; sailors often chose anchors, swallows, roses or three-masted ships.

On the coast, according to tradition, fishermen had themselves tattooed so they could be recognised if they drowned: their tattoos were written in the seaman's book, under the heading for distinguishing marks. The anchor, the cross and the heart stood for hope, faith and love. As early as 1906, a study presented in Brussels recorded the tattoos of the city's prison.