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.