This project explores symbolism and the practice of pilgrimage in Italy. It focuses on the Marian center of Loreto and all the local peculiar tattoo’s practices. This work acknowledges the lack of solid and exhaustive sources on this topic and the low interest that it has received by audiences and public isitutions. This Iconographic Dictionary aims at showing the vast collection of images and references in the best and widest possible way, as it had never been done before due to little interest and poor management of the available materials. Furthermore, there exist very few examples of this kind of work, which focuses on the iconography and the various stylistic elements of given situations and characters, and, paradoxically, they contain few images. Obviously, this project does not mean to be comprehensive of every aspect of the topic, but it creates a basis for further exploration of this currently-little-known genre of folk art. Particular attention was dedicated to the layout, the search of materials, and printing techniques so that this work could best present its contents.
