The meaning and classification of tattoos in the context of their suitability to identify corpses of unknown identity.

Aim Of The Study: To present the most popular types of tattoos, their meaning and classification, and to assess the suitability of different forms of tattoos in the process of identification of corpses of unknown identity.

Material And Methods: The tattoos found on 729 cadavers who underwent post mortem examinations at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Warsaw in the years 2012-2015 were analyzed. The tattoos were photographed and identified in terms of their meaning domain and classified into groups.