  This article gives a short step-by-step introduction to the representation of
parametric Feynman integrals in scalar perturbative quantum field theory as
periods of motives. The application of motivic Galois theory to the
algebro-geometric and categorical structures underlying Feynman graphs is
reviewed up to the current state of research. The example of primitive
log-divergent Feynman graphs in scalar massless $\phi^4$ quantum field theory
is analysed in detail.
