The painted wooden sign fixed above the shop reads, “Razzouk Tattoo — Tattoo With Heritage Since 1300.” For more than 720 years — and 27 generations — Wassim Razzouk’s family has continued to ancient art of tattooing in Jerusalem, and today customers wait in hours-long lines to receive a tattoo from the world’s oldest tattooing family. The shop even made the 2022 Guinness World Records entry as the “oldest tattoo shop.” Unlike the hand-drawn stencils popular in tattooing in the U.S., Razzouk uses woodblocks — hundreds of hand-carved wooden stamps that have been in his family for generations. Painted lightly in ink, the woodblocks are pressed against a person’s skin to leave an imprint. Then Razzouk uses the stamped image as a guide for putting ink to skin. Some of the most popular woodblock tattoo designs — like the Jerusalem cross — date back to the First Crusade in 1096. A glass case in the shop displays dozens of woodblocks that customers can choose from. Razzouk also has a two-book collection of traditional tattoo designs for customers. A typical tattoo at Razzouk Tattoo can range from $120 to $170. The cost depends on the size and complexity of the chosen design, but stamps are generally priced around $50. Custom tattoos or larger pieces increase in price accordingly. The family legacy continues as Razzouk has trained his two sons, Nizar and Anton, in the art of tattooing. Thanks to his contributions to modernize the shop and teach the 28th generation of Razzouk tattooists, Razzouk said the craft "will hopefully remain in the family for many centuries to come."
