The meaning of the tattoo of the Olive branch
Generally, it is a symbol of peace. But it also symbolizes victory and together with the white dove represents the divine peace between former enemies. The olive tree can live more than a hundred years, so in many ancient cultures it was a sacred tree.
Most of its symbols come from ancient Greece. At the first Olympic Games, the winners received a wreath from an olive branch as the highest award, and from that moment on it became a symbol of victory.
What does the olive branch tattoo mean?
This image has several variants of deciphering. An olive branch can be a symbol:
- Victory. With olive branches met winners in Ancient Greece. Also the olive tree is one of the attributes of Athena, goddess of military strategy.
- Peace. An olive branch is a call for reconciliation between warring parties. The dove with a branch became a popular symbol of peace after the World Congress held in 1949.
- New life, good news. According to myths, the dove with an olive branch brought Noah the news that the world flood was over and it was time to rebuild life on Earth.
- Peace, generosity, abundance, fruitfulness.
- Fertility, longevity, good health, even immortality. The olive is a generous tree with many fruits, which symbolizes the fertility, wealth of the soul. Olive oil is often called liquid gold, because it has special healing properties.
The olive branch in Greek mythology
According to legend, the Greek goddess Athena competed with Poseidon for Athens. Poseidon built a well, and Athena planted the first olive tree next to that well. All the other gods and goddesses decided that Athena's gift was better than Poseidon's and gave her the land.
As we see from this myth-the olive tree was of great importance to the ancient Greeks. In this case, it was even more important than water. And no wonder - until today, the Greeks produce more than 7.5% of all the olive oil in the world. This simple tree gave them food and built their economy.
In ancient wars, the Greeks placed olive branches on banners, paintings and statues to show their success in battle. You could get your Olive Branch tattoo to symbolize your Greek history, or you could get it as a military tattoo. In neither case do you need to add any additional images to the tattoo, but you can include a Greek banner or flag if you honor your Greek ancestry.
Technique of execution.
The sketch with the olive branch looks very stylish in black and white. Lovers of simple and concise images will love the minimalism. Small tattoos exquisitely and elegantly look on the fragile female wrists.
The sketch with a wreath in the style of realism needs a large size, so it is usually chosen by men. Thanks to the detailing and clear drawing, the tattoo is as close to the original photo as possible. Large-scale composition with doves is better placed on the back or on the chest in men.
How to draw an olive branch
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Tattoo ideas and subjects
This is a small tattoo. So you can place it on different parts of your body. It is also very unusual to add any other elements to the image. The most beautiful examples are one or two crossed branches with leaves and a few olives on them. You will see that most of the ideas are in black and gray tones, which gives them even more sophistication and simplicity.
As for the design, you will have to choose between having a lot of leaves on your Olive Branch tattoo or just a couple. You will also have to decide if you want your Olive Branch to be the main subject of the design or just one small element of a larger piece.
Who is suitable for such a tattoo
The olive branch is a classic symbol of reconciliation, so some people use it to show that they are the kind of person who leaves the past behind and gets on with their lives. You can also get one of these tattoos if you used to let things get to you, but now decide to let things go a little easier.
You can look down at your Olive Branch tattoo and remind yourself that you shouldn't let small things ruin your days.
Likewise, the Olive Branch tattoo can also represent peace in its many forms. If you want more world peace, this is a great tattoo to get.
The Olive Branch is also a great design for people who have lived chaotic lives and are determined to bring more peace to their worlds. Again, you don't need to add any other peace symbols, but you can do so if this is your main tattoo.
People who feel they have good instincts or can clearly see the difference between right and wrong may be perfect for the Olive Branch tattoo. In fact, if this is one of your favorite personal qualities, this is probably the best tattoo for you, as there really aren't many other symbols or images that represent these things.
There are many symbols of purity and chastity, but the Olive Branch gives people a unique way to show their pride in these qualities. This is often implied as a personal meaning, so we only recommend getting an Olive Branch tattoo on a visible part of your body with this meaning if you also use other meanings.
Of course, if you are very proud of these meanings, there is absolutely nothing wrong with showing that pride by placing your Olive Branch design on your arm or elsewhere for all to see.
Such a tattoo may not seem very meaningful at first glance, but it can help someone reinforce their best character traits as well as give them confidence.
On what part of the body to do?
A tattoo that features an olive tree sprig can be placed on any part of the body. Usually, this does not affect the interpretation of the meaning of the naked image and depends only on the preferences of the person himself.
As a rule, such tattoos do not differ in scale. For this reason, they are often placed in the collarbone area, on the hand in the wrist area, on the ribs, neck and shoulder blades. Tattoos located in these areas look neat and laconic, in addition, they are easy to hide under clothing from prying eyes.
Beautiful examples
There are many beautiful tattoo designs featuring an olive branch.
- Here are, for example, colored variants of such a tattoo.
- Monochrome images for all their simplicity look very elegant and harmonious.
- Interesting options for those who want to have a tattoo on his body with the image of an olive branch and a dove.
