In Algerias Aurs mountains, it was a tradition for Berber women to tattoo their bodies and faces. The shapes and symbols they used were both of cosmetic and therapeutic value , as the Berber community in eastern Algeria believed that tattoos could be used to heal illnesses and infertility.

The practice of tattooing, however, declined in the 1930s and 1940s , a development that has been attributed to the burgeoning influence of Islam in Algeria (which deems tattoos as haram, or forbidden ).

As the practice continues to fade, grandchildren and great grandchildren will likely one day ask: What does this tattoo on my ancestor's forehead, cheek, or chin mean? A book by Lucienne Brousse, titled Feminine Beauty and Identity: Female Berber Tattoos of the Regions of Biskra and Touggourt, seeks to answer that question. The book was showcased at the Algiers International Book Fair , or Salon International du Livre d'Alger, which ran from Oct. 28 to Nov. 7, 2015.

Brousse compiled the book through a long process of reconstruction and interpretation of hundreds of drawings made by her friend Eliane Ocre, throughout Ocre's nursing career in Algeria.