"There were those in Illyria who had their bodies tattooed"

There were those in Illyria who had their bodies tattooed, "Tattooing of the body by man is a custom which by no means was established for decorative purposes alone. Its backround and use over the years is far more complex-Both tattooing and taboos are closely tied up with self-torture in one form or other. "*
*A. Hyatt Verrill, Strange Customs, Manners and Beliefs.

 http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.$b547029;view=1up;seq=85

Land of destiny : a tale from the Balkans / by Eugene Radovich.1951