The Wind Rose tattoo is one of the oldest symbols that adorned the body of sailors. Until our days, its image has remained unchanged - it is a stylized Polar Star with rays of equal length, with the indication of the sides of the world. Four long rays indicate north, south, west and east, and four short ones indicate intermediate rhumbas. The number of rays can be different - from four to sixteen.
The sketch of the wind rose tattoo may contain other elements: a rose, a skull, a map, a feather and so on. Depends on your idea and the vision of the master. The tattoo looks equally good in black and white, as well as in color.
The image served as a talisman for superstitious seafarers - they believed that the compass star would lead them home and prevent them from going astray and getting lost. In ancient times, the sea route is often laid without a map, focusing on the stars, and the tailwind has always helped sailors.
The meaning of the tattoo wind rose - the aspiration to the goal, a reference point on the sides of the world, the direction to home. Later this image became a sign of the highest valor, belonging to the bravest warriors. This tattoo was also used by pirates.
The sign of the wind rose also suits those who do not sail the sea, but simply love travel, seeking to brighten up the routine and rush away. For them, this tattoo represents freedom. Sometimes this tattoo means finding your way.
This image also has a different meaning associated with prison symbolism. It is worn by the blatnoys, the higher-ranking members of the arrested. Prisoners wear paired tattoos depicting the eight-pointed rose of the winds on their knees, under their collarbones, and on their shoulders. It signifies rebellion, a rejection of the prison regime. The stars on the shoulders are the sign of a "thief in law."
A wind rose tattooed on the knees indicates that its owner will not kneel before the law. The tattoos under the collarbones belong to those convicts who are against the prison order.
The image of the wind rose is very common: for example, it is the symbol of the Russian Emergencies Ministry and the Special Forces of South Africa. A rose with four rays decorates NATO's flag, symbolizing the organization's desire to consolidate its influence on all continents. The rose with 16 rays is a symbol of the CIA.
The Wind Rose tattoo, as a rule, is chosen by men, pricking it on the shoulder or ankle. The image is more often monochrome.
Romantic women can also choose this sign, sometimes instead of vector rays in the center a real scarlet rose is applied. Such a tattoo is beautiful in color.
Where to get a tattoo with a compass
If with the main points of the choice of the figure all came together, it remains to determine where it is more advantageous to place. First of all, it depends on the size of the image. Because if the picture is not more than an average apple, it is worth understanding that on large areas, such as the back and chest, it will look like a dirty spot. Therefore, it is better to score a compass tattoo on the arm, in the area of the shoulder, collarbone, nape of the neck.
Tattoo compass on the wrist
Tattoo compass - photo
Small tattoo with a compass on the neck
Tattoo compass on the side of a girl
Tattoo a compass on the arm of a man
For girls, pretty cute looking compass tattoo on the wrist. Again, consider if the image will be more or less round or elongated, at the expense of the additional background. An elongated compass image on the forearm looks more advantageous, in the direction of the elbow. If very large, then capturing the chest or scapula. The image of the compass on the leg, will fit harmoniously in the area of the calves. Quite small will be appropriate to place on the ankle, wrist and hand. Juicy, seem drawing of the compass on the neck.
Spiders and spider webs. All over the world.
Few people don't know that spider webs mean jail time. And even a novice tattoo parlor trainee will tell you the same thing. A spider web that has multiple layers means you have been incarcerated more than once, and if there is also a spider, you have committed a terrible murder. It would seem that who would make you get such tattoos? Prison and similar places have "their" rules, responsible people and other caretakers who will not let you leave there clean and in one piece. They will make such beautiful and high quality drawings that it will be almost impossible to get them out.
If you have never committed a crime, then the question is, why did you insist on such drawings? You probably know that there is no spider's year or horoscope, so it would be logical to ask you a counter question. In Russia, spiders also mean that you have had a drug addiction for a long time. But it is a person who decides for such "identification" signs, which makes you feel uncomfortable in the queues at the stores and on the beach.
Nazi signs, runes, eagle and skull. Germany and Russia
In Germany and Russia these signs can not be applied. In a good and expensive tattoo parlor, the real master of his craft will not dissuade you from this, but will offer to reconsider your views on the drawings for a luxurious body. Not every salon has the opportunity to employ good craftsmen, so it is worth asking in advance why you can not apply in a tattoo of eagles and skulls. In principle, it is possible to apply tattoos, but to show them casually or ostentatiously can not, in any case. This applies to going to the doctor - surgeons, anesthesiologists, etc. A doctor in Germany can refuse to see a patient despite having taken the Hippocratic oath. There have been cases where surgeons have left the operating room if they saw Nazi symbols on the bodies of patients. In Russia, for such tattoos you can get not only a fine, but also a prison sentence, though it is unlikely anyone else practices this.
Styles for the tattoo compass
The most common are images with the usual, Chinese compass and the image with runic drawing. Styles of execution of the drawing are quite a lot. First it is worth to decide what kind of tattoo you like more: black and white, classic, or watercolor compass tattoo, colored and bright. The choice is not difficult to make, there are a lot of variants of the photo compass drawing. It is also worth paying attention to the technique of tattoo performance. Images of the compass look more advantageously in several styles:
- Tattoo graphics - performed in paint and black and white. The peculiarity of its execution is that the shadows of the figure are applied by dashes. The image has a clear shape and lines.
- Classic - performed only in black and white. And are more widespread style
- Tattoo watercolor - for expressive and romantic natures. Bright and memorable image
- Tattoo biomechanics - very interesting look, organic interlacing, broken fragments of the figure, 3D effects
- Tattoo minimalism - a very laconic style. Elegant and simple design
- Tattoo oriental - oriental images with color effects
- Polynesia is one of the most rich and colorful styles
SC tattoos: catalog of tattoos and their meanings (76 pcs)
Many criminal male tattoos feature women. At the same time, the drawing does not necessarily symbolize love or lyrical feelings.
Catalog of criminal tattoos
Criminal painting is characterized by the lack of semantic attachment to the drawing or text. A half-naked woman with a flower may symbolize cruelty, the euphonious "GOD" means "has been convicted by the state," and a tattoo of a cat indicates a "native prisoner."
Here is a classic catalog of the tattoos most commonly seen among professional criminals.
The meaning of tattoos
1. Half-naked woman in hussar's clothing, sitting on a cannon with a burning torch in her hand. "There are two beautiful things in the world - love and death. Symbolizes loyalty to a woman and a hidden threat of revenge for treason. Applied on the chest or back.
2. naked woman tied to a flaming pole. "Death for treason." Means that the bearer of the tattoo was convicted of killing a woman. The logs may signify the length of the punishment. Place of tattoo - chest, thigh.
3. Executioner, executing naked women. The tattoo is sometimes supplemented with the abbreviation "GOD" (see). Symbolizes the hatred of the laws and administrations.
4. Woman and the Devil. "Love and hate (good and evil) are always around." Means that the owner of the tattoo was imprisoned because of a woman. Applied on chest or thigh.
5. Woman on wings. A small size tattoo, applied on the wrist. Symbolizes luck, good luck, random luck. Most often seen on thieves.
6. A naked woman with a burning torch in her hand, a prison bars, a snake, a cross, a human skull, an axe, money. "Nothing is eternal in this world." "God's will for everything." Tattoo of a camp authority. May be accompanied by text about the frailty of worldly existence. Applied only to chest.
7. Fragment of barbed wire. A generalized symbol indicating that the tattoo owner has been through a correctional labor institution. Applied to the wrist.
8. Executioner with axe, half-naked woman, scaffold. The tattoo is found in persons convicted of murder of a relative (or relatives). The secondary meaning is "Death to the traitor. It is applied to the chest.
9. Medieval helmet. Symbol of struggle, brotherhood, determination. Originally applied only to the wrist, now found on the shoulder and thigh. Indicates a thief or robber.
10. Bayonet. The oldest symbol of the thief's world. Symbolized threat, warning, strength. It was applied on the wrist, forearm, sometimes on the thigh. The tattoo was common among repeat offenders. Today it is extremely rare.
11. a naked woman crucified on a cross with the inscription "Amen. "I have avenged treason in full." An abstracted symbol of revenge (not necessarily on a woman). The tattoo is observed among the thieves' leaders and is applied on the chest or thigh.
12. a prison grid, a rose and a dagger. The owner of the tattoo was serving a sentence for hooliganism in an educational-labor colony. Drawn on the forearm or shoulder. If dagger and rose without bars - "Blood for treason".
13. Girl's head. "Majority met in VTC". Place of tattoo - shoulder, less often - chest.
14. Naked woman on a winged wheel. "Wheel of Fortune." Symbolizes faith in good luck. Applied on the chest.
15. Skull, pierced with a dagger, rose, snake, obvivshuyusya dagger. Thieves symbol. "Our life is a struggle. The crown over the snake indicates a tattoo of a thief's authority - a thief in the law, a pozolozhetsya, watching. Occurs on the shoulder, less often on the chest.
16. Cross with a chain. Pecked at the top of the chest and indicates faith in his fate. If the cross is depicted as the suit of clubs, the owner of tattoo - the thief.
17. A naked woman wrapped in a serpent, with an apple in her hand. The biblical story of the serpent-torturer. "It was the woman who pushed him to the crime." "Temptress Woman." Applied on the chest, shoulder. Tattoo sometimes found among passive homosexuals (usually on back).
18. A hand with a tulip wrapped around a barbed wire. "WTC met 16." The place of the tattoo is the shoulder.
19. Shackled hands holding a rose. "Met 18 years in the VTC" (shackles symbolize a "full-fledged criminal"). Applied to the shoulder.
The last two tattoos are also common among women.
- Catalog: Women's prison tattoos
20. Mermaid on an anchor. It occurs in sailors and in people who have served time for rape or indecent assault. It is less common among passive homosexuals. The tattoo is placed on the chest or back.
21. Pitchfork. One of the oldest criminal symbols of Russia. At first it served as a distinguishing sign of big raspberries and thieves' authorities. It was left on the prison walls, used as a means of communication. Later it was applied to the shoulder, thigh or forearm. Symbolized threat, force. Now rare.
22. Eight-pointed star. Tattoo of the camp bosses - thieves in the law, deniers, swindlers. Applied under the collarbone.
23. Half-naked woman sitting on a magic ball. Above head - crescent moon. Symbolizes belief in otherworldly forces. Applied on the chest or back. Happens among Muslims and Jews.
24. Bear holding a medieval axe with the image of the suit of clubs. Indicates a bear-carrying burglar. It could also mean that the convict served his sentence at a "logging camp," an institution specializing in logging. "The law is the taiga, the scoop is the norm, the bear is the prosecutor."
25. Crossed arrow and key. Symbol of a burglar. Applied on the forearm or thigh.
26. Woman with naked breast and index finger pressed to her lips. "Silentium!" - "Silence!" Symbolizes distrust of women. "As long as there are women in the world, there will be no secrets." Applied to the chest.
27. Star of David wrapped around a winged snake. The owner of the tattoo - a Jew and belongs to the winged - the camp authorities.
28. A saber without a scabbard. The tattoo symbolizes aggressiveness and secret threat. It is applied on the forearm, wrist. A saber in the scabbard means that the criminal "tied up. Happens very rarely.
29. Hoc est in votis inscription. "Do not love money - they will destroy you, do not love women - they will deceive you, but love God (or freedom).
30. Woman, gun, money, bottle, syringe, knife, cards. "This is what we love" or "This is what ruins us." Symbolizes a dissipated life, wastefulness.
31. Lion surrounded by medieval weapons - sword, axe, bow, arrow, mace. Symbolizes power and authority. Lying down in front of the lion means wisdom. "Cruel but fair." Tattoo of authority. Applied almost always on the chest.
32. Flying demon. Drawing can be complemented by the inscription "Fatum" (rock). Applied on the chest and means cruelty. "My god is an evil Demon." "Sins will pay Satan." Found on bulls, fighters, deniers.
33 и 34. Tattoos of drug addicts. Genie flying out of a jug. Applied on the chest, shoulder, or front of the thigh. A spider in a web can be poked on the head under the hair. A spider without a web means a pickpocket.
35. Three cards pierced with an arrow. Wear sign of card cheats.
36. The eagle on top of the mountain. A symbol of power and freedom. The tattoo of the camp authorities.
37. Hell. Nakolka refers to the so-called "grins" and symbolizes hatred of the administrative structures. Applied to the chest. Accompanied by texts of anti-state content.
38. Cupid with a bow, the serpent tempter, pigeons, an arrow through the heart. Artistic tattoo. "Tempted by you forever." Applied to chest or back.
39. Dragon flying over the castle. The tattoo is found in the embezzlers of state or collective property, "tsekhoviks. Also means complete confiscation of property. Applied on the chest and back.
40. "The cat is the native inhabitant of the prison." The image of a cat is painted by repeat offenders who compare themselves to this animal. The cat combines pride and attachment to home (the thief's home is prison). The drawing can be accompanied by texts such as "And here I am home.
41. A symbol of the power of the pharaoh. First encountered only with the camp authorities. Then the tattoo began to be tattooed by thieves reselling stolen goods. It is now rare. It was applied to the hands.
42. Burning crucifix with a woman. "It was a woman who pushed her into the crime." "Avenged for treason." "Convicted of killing a woman."
43. Running deer. "I was born free and will die free." Applied to the chest and indicates a tendency to escape.
44. Knights. "Strength and loyalty." Applied on the chest.
45. Cowboy with a naked girl on horseback. Drawing can be accompanied by the abbreviation "OMUT" ("It is difficult to escape from me"). Means propensity for risk and adventure. The tattoo is applied on the chest.
46. "Cowgirl" - a cowgirl. "The world is ruled by gold and boldness. Spread among the worst offenders of the camp routine.
47. Woman, Rose, Dagger. "Vengeance for treason." Place tattooed on the forearm.
48. Woman with sword, stringing hearts. "Heartbreaker." "Heartbreaker." The tattoo is dedicated to the lady of the heart and is applied to the chest or thigh. It also occurs in women. The number of hearts indicates the number of men conquered.
49. A woman in a horseshoe wrapped in barbed wire. "Prison owes a woman."
50. A hand in shackles clutching a knife. "Hand to thief, knife to prosecutor." "I will be reformed by firing squad." Symbolizes cruelty and violence. The tattoo is found on the deniers and the swordsmen.
51. Cross covered in flames, with the inscription "Believe in God, not in communism. Political tattoo. As a rule, it was applied by political prisoners (see chapter Political Tattoos).
52. "This is what's left of us." The owner of the tattoo had spent many years in prisons and camps (the number of barbs on the wire could indicate a correctional labor experience). The secondary meaning of the tattoo is "For all the cops I will avenge. Occurs on the chest and back.
53. A convict crying behind bars. "Cursed be damned to him from everlasting to everlasting, who by imprisonment resolved to reform the man. Applied to chest or back. Like the previous tattoo, it points to an old camp resident.
54. "Well, Wait a minute, cop!" Caricature of a police officer. Often the wolf is depicted in a uniform cap, tunic and with a harness. Applied on hip and waist.
55. Dancing skeletons. Symbolizes risk, fearlessness, contempt for death. The tattoo first appeared in Mexico and was "imported" to the Soviet Union in the 1960s. The place of tattooing - the shoulder or chest.
56. Neptune. Power and Authority. "Pity for the man humiliates the thief." Drawing is also found in sailors.
57. Indian. "Disenfranchised." Similar tattoos were applied by political prisoners and dissidents.
58. Sailboat. "Eternal Vagabond" or "Eternal Wanderer." Indicates a touring sailor. White sails indicate a thief, black sails indicate a gopnik. Sometimes the number of masts indicates the number of convictions. Applied to the chest and thigh.
59. Fighting bulls. "Who is stronger is right." Symbolizes aggression, power struggle. Applied by camp authorities. The drawing may be accompanied by text. The place of the tattoo is the chest.
60. The head of the tiger. "Cruelty and fury." Wearers of the tattoo are bulls and fighters (people who are physically maiming by order of a thief in law). Occurs on the chest and shoulder.
61. Latin letter "D", tiger holding a skull in his paw, crown, suit of spades. Symbolizes violence. The tattoo is characteristic of gopniks.
62. Gladiator. Applied by bulls and fighters. Most often on the chest. With the sword may drip blood, indicating a fighter with "experience.
63. Pirate with a knife in his teeth. The knife bears the inscription "IRA" ("Going to cut up activists"). The tattoo is found on the denialists. The camp activist is the Internal Order Service ("IAS"). This service is called "Bitch Out for a Walk" and "Bitch Out for Half" (early release) by the deniers.
64. Shackled hands clutching a cross with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Symbolizes faith in the criminal brotherhood, devotion to thievery.
65. Monk with goose feather. Indicates a "scribe" - a pickpocket who commits theft with sharp-edged objects - razors, coins, rings.
66. Eagle with a suitcase in his talons. Means gastrolera. If in the clutches of a woman - "Convicted of rape. Tattoo may indicate a tendency to escape.
67. Woman with a snake around her neck. Implies cruelty and violence. Occurs among the eastern peoples.
68. Napoleon. Symbol of power and adventurism.
69. Beetle. "I wish you a successful theft." The tattoo of pickpocket thieves. It is applied between the thumb and forefinger. A spider without a web or a flea may be depicted instead of a beetle.
70. A hand with a dagger piercing the devil. Antisemitic tattoo. "Beat the Jews, save Russia!", "Killing a Jew is not a crime, but cleansing the world of Satan's messengers." Such tattoos were considered political and were destroyed.
71. The devil with the sack. "There was happiness, but the devil took away." The owner of the tattoo has a lot of experience as a thief.
72. Woman with naked breast. On her chest is an amulet in the shape of the letter "M" and a crown. "Revenge for treason." Symbolizes aggressiveness, violence, cruelty.
73. Weeping Muse. Tattoo symbolizes wandering, unrecognized talent, disappointment. Also found on women.
74. Gryphon. "Keeper of secrets. Common among the eastern peoples.
75. North - "Served his punishment in the North."
76. Eagle between two trees of different climates. Means a thief-guest and a tendency to escape. Skull in claws symbolizes violence.
A.V.Kuchinsky.
Meaning of the sun tattoo
Solar image on the skin of a man or woman has only positive meaning, and depending on the chosen tattoo sketch the sun can mean power, rebirth, fertility, courage, creativity, sexuality, dignity, freedom, life, kindness, femininity, eternity, beginning, leadership.
Sun tattoo, watercolor
The sun tattoo is suitable for determined strong people who want to find the meaning of life, overcome difficulties, emphasize their experience, freedom, purity or creative abilities. It will help find freedom, good luck, and protection from evil forces for a strong loner who is used to rely only on himself. Most often such drawings have the following meanings:
- A sun depicted as a cross in a circle signifies a person's spirituality.
- An excessively bright sun on a tattoo indicates that its bearer is very dissatisfied with the world around him.
- When the sun is combined with hieroglyphs, priority in meaning is given to the aphorism.
- The meaning of the image, which in addition to the sun present such flowers as lotuses, chrysanthemums, lilies, roses, sakura or sunflowers almost unchanged and will be interpreted positively.
- Tattoo, complemented with the Yin-Yang sign means harmony, movement and infinity.
- The meaning of a tattoo with a star inside a luminary is determined by the meaning of the star itself.
- The combination of the sun and flame, which is a symbol of spirituality, was used as a ceremonial in ancient times. Before stuffing such a drawing, you need to carefully study its possible variations, so as not to harm yourself.
The sunrise on the tattoo is a sign of the birth of something bright in life, perfection. Sunset means the end, the stop. Both drawings embossed at the same time represent renewal, cyclicality, harmony.
- The sun, inside a circle which depicts the "All-seeing Eye", symbolizes wisdom, spirituality protects from the dark forces.
- It is a talisman and a luminary with a human face.
Tattoo of the sun with a face.
Solar pattern enhances resilience, strengthens self-control, attracts material wealth and surrounds its bearer with goodness, but it does not suit the weak-willed shy people, whom he is likely to tire and make irritable.
What does the moon and sun tattoo mean?
A tattoo with the sun and the moon enclosed in a circle has the meaning of harmony, self-renewal and infinity of the world. This body art as well as the Chinese characters Yin and Yang, depicted together, symbolizes the unity of the two opposing beginnings. Self-renewal and helps to find a way out of any difficult situation.
Drawing is stuffed to restore the family, strengthen relationships with loved ones, a constant feeding of positive energy and as a powerful amulet. He helps to unravel and neutralize the plans of enemies, improve relationships with loved ones. If the sun occupies most of the circle, the bearer of the paired sun and moon tattoo will look for himself and develop.
Tattoo paired sun and moon
Tattoo of the sun and moon on the hand
A drawing in which the luminaries are balanced will suit a harmonious person who knows what he expects from life and seeks to develop his magical or creative abilities.
The meaning of the sun tattoo for men
The meaning of the tattoo in this variant is first of all a talisman, which protects, brings good luck, is a source of positive energy and multiplies forces. It is a confirmation of the wisdom and justice of the bearer. Tattoo of the sun with the moon for men symbolizes the moral strength of the bearer, his determination and persistence.
Tattoo on the chest of the sun and moon
The meaning of the tattoo sun for girls
It is generally believed that the sun is a sign of masculinity, as correlated in the usual interpretation with the gods, which are symbolically portrayed in the image of men. However, there are also female "solar" goddesses in world mythology. Hittite Arinniti, Egyptian Bastet, Arabian Shams, Japanese Amaterasu o-mikami - they all gave people warmth, love, joy and happiness, lighting up the Earth.
Perhaps that's why the sun tattoo for girls often has a mystical meaning or is inscribed as a talisman, giving prosperity and strength. Colored drawing is usually complemented by the image of birds, plants, the moon.
Tattoo of the sun on the arm
What does a prison sun tattoo on the arm mean?
Solar tattoos of prisoners located on the back of the hand (rarely on the forearm) usually depict the rising sun, which symbolizes the beginning of a new life. The number of rays in this case means the number of years spent in prison. Often encountered and variant, where the picture of the luminary is complemented by the word "NORTH".
The prison meaning of the tattoo of the sun in this case changes dramatically. It tells those around that the man passed a long ordeal of cold and hunger in the northern camps of our country and got used to the harsh conditions of existence.
The origin of Celtic symbols
This is interesting: Tattoos on the leg for girls. The most fashionable sketches + 120 PHOTOS
Celtic tattoos reflect the symbols of a rich culture, represent deep mystical meaning and powerful energy. The images are filled with design complexity and unique intricacy, and the graceful infinite lines are imbued with the majestic meaning of the most ancient people.
Who are the Celts?
The Celts are tribes that were close to Indo-Europeans in language and tradition. Their history began in the II. BC, and reached its peak by the IV - V centuries BC. The people inhabited the territory of modern Western Europe.
A picture of the ancient Celts
The Celts lived in separate tribes, which periodically attacked Mediterranean countries. Representatives of this nation were distinguished by freedom-loving warlike temperament and unwillingness to exist in unity. It was for this reason the former power gradually declined.
During the Great Migration of Peoples, the settlers came to Europe and mingled with the local population, gradually pushing the Celts farther to the west. The tribes managed to take over the lands of Brittany, Ireland, Wales and Scotland. The Celtic traditions and ancient religious ceremonies are still observed in these regions.
Celtic life was closely connected to nature, which is why Most tattoos symbolize the harmony of man with the world around him and the development of the spiritual world.
A tear, a stream of tears. Western Europe
In Western Europe, especially among the world of incarcerated people, your drawn tears will speak of mortal sin. There, a simple drop near the corner of the eye means attempted or committed murder. What's the big deal if you've never been to a place so far away from people, you ask? It's quite simple - there are a lot of prisons like this in the western part of Europe where almost all dangerous prisoners go. For them there are separately built factories and plants, where only ex-convicts, murderers and rapists are working. You will either be treated with apprehension, or you will be mistaken for "one of their own.
In the U.S. or Great Britain, there is the same system of "identifying one's own" among the crowd. You may be 14 or 80 years old, but you will be mistaken for a sinful person. In the streets of these countries the police may come up to you and check your identity, ask for your passport, detain you for questioning, mind you, not for interrogation. They will talk to you, make sure that you have either served your time or have never been detained, and release you. But that, you must agree, is not the most pleasant experience either, especially if you go there to rest with friends or family.
Portrait of M. Jackson and M. Monroe. USA
Since recently, but very densely ingrained in the memory of all people, two portraits - of Michael Jackson and Marilyn Monroe bring misfortune to all those who wear their portraits on their bodies. These words should not frighten you, but we can not talk about it in vain. Data from a statistical center in the United States confirmed that out of 100 ICU patients, only 19 people survived who had portraits of one or the other person. The faces of dead celebrities bring only harm to their fans, so it is best to have their posters and posters on the walls or in magazines on computers.
Also scientists from America declared that the most often portraits of M. Jackson and M. Monroe can be found on the bodies of people who suffered from alcohol and drug addiction. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but who knows if it's really true and why after getting tattoos many admirers became drug addicts and mentally unhealthy people. We will not verify this information, but there is no point in keeping silent either.
What does the tattoo mean for men?
Traditionally, sailing is a man's business. It is among men most often encountered tattoo, which interprets the meaning of the compass tattoo, as a symbol of belonging to the maritime business. Most often on "professional" tattoos it is depicted on the background of sails, ships, bowed ship figures, anchors and other nautical paraphernalia. In this case, the tattoo is supposed to help the man at sea, to bring him home through all the storms and tempests.
Also, men more often than women choose a rune compass, because they mistakenly consider it part of the Viking culture and want to express their positive attitude towards this culture.
Tattoos of Eskimos and other peoples of the North and Siberia
The Eskimos are one of the few small peoples who have been able to preserve the ancient custom of tattooing until our time. This was due to the fact that among the primary motives of tattooing was medicinal and medical. Undoubtedly, this purpose of the tattoo was known to many peoples in their long historical way of creating cultural values-orientations (representatives of the Pazyryk culture knew the ability of dot-dots-notches to reduce pain in the spine).
We know about the peculiarities of tattooing of Chukchi Peninsula Eskimos thanks to researches of the specialist in the field of ethnic tattooing of the peoples of the world SI. Rudenko. "In the summer of 1945," he wrote, "doing archaeological research on the Bering Sea coast of the Chukchi Peninsula, I visited all the Eskimo settlements. Unlike the coastal Chukchi, I saw tattoos everywhere, both on their faces and on their hands, especially widespread among women.
In the north, in the Cape Dezhnev area, it is not complicated: usually several vertical interrupted lines cover the chin; sometimes there are circles at the corners of the mouth. In the south, from Cape Chaplin to the settlement of Sirenik, tattoos are often quite complex, with two lines running from the forehead along the nose, often covering both cheeks, chin, hands and wrist and forearms of hands".
While waiting for a steamer in Providence Bay, S.I. Rudenko had the opportunity to sketch tattoos in the Eskimo settlement of Urelik, frequented by Eskimos from other settlements. And he was lucky. At Urelik he met Eskimos from all the southern settlements and was able to make quite a few sketches in a short period of time.
The custom of tattooing girls at puberty, before marriage, has survived among modern Eskimos. The applied patterns serve the common rules - the ritual of this ethnic group and at the same time, in our opinion, are the ornamentation. They correspond to the existing fashion and ideas about beauty and attractiveness to the opposite sex.
The technique of Eskimo tattooing is simple: a thread rubbed with soot is pulled under the skin. From time immemorial, the most elaborate tattoo was done by an experienced woman in one or, less often, two days. Men were rarely tattooed, most often their drawings were circles or semicircles on the cheeks or at the corners of the mouth, as well as short lines on the temples, and only one of those studied had human figures (yuhak) on the forehead, above the eyebrows.
The female tattoo is much richer and more varied. Usually on the chin, from the lower lip downward, there are three, five, seven double, rarely triple lines, the kind of pattern Nelson observed with the Alaskan Eskimos. Two parallel lines, drawn on the forehead between the eyebrows, go down on either side of the nose. The cheek tattoo is more complicated. There is no exact repetition of the design on both cheeks. As a rule, the right cheek is covered with a more complex tattoo than the left. Sometimes only one cheek is tattooed.
In the cheek tattoo, three interrupted parallel lines descend from the temples to the corners of the lower jaw, from which a more or less complex pattern is applied to the ear and down the cheek. A less complex tattoo pattern on the left cheek is formed by "whale tails" set on interrupted lines, or more complex "whale tails" that transition into "horns."
Between the cheek tattoo and the corners of the mouth are depicted two-line half-lines (tutak) or circles with a dot in the center.
On women's hands, the tattoo covers the back of the palm, wrist and lower part of the forearm. The pattern often covers both hands, but sometimes only the right or left. From wrist to fingers, in the middle of the hand there are two lines, slightly diverging to the front end of the pattern, on which arcs, sometimes with circles and "whale tails", are put.
Despite the seeming, at first glance, diversity of hand tattoo designs, it always consists of a relatively small number of traditional elements inherent in Eskimo skin painting. These are "whale tails" set on straight lines, arcs or circles, concentric circles and ellipses, blades, tridents and scrapers.
Speaking of the expanded semantics and motivation of the Eskimo tattoo, S.I. Rudenko emphasized that previously it undoubtedly had a magical meaning.
One of the most common, in his opinion, tattoo symbols was the V-shaped figure, universally interpreted by Eskimos as "whale tail", which was associated with a special relationship to the whale. This motif is found in the tattoos of the cheeks and arms of women, at the corners of the mouth of men. The magical meaning was the crow's feet depicted above the eyebrows.
The tattoo that survives to this day was practiced by the Eskimos almost two hundred years ago. Such persistence of the custom, the absence of any evolution both in the general composition and in the private elements of the drawing, despite the significant changes that occurred during this time in the material culture and in the social way of life of Eskimos, testify to the deep antiquity of this custom.
In the pre-writing, mostly pre-state, period of its development, the primitive ethnos over many thousands of years of history created a tattoo culture, which, apparently, would only disappear along with the human race, despite the ups and downs in the process of development. In the course of a long evolutionary path, cutaneous painting has been defined in a general methodological, world outlook and in an applied concrete-role purpose, which can be represented in the following directions: 1) as an initiation into the circle of the "chosen"; 2) as a sign of protection - amulet; 3) as a special, eye-catching mark for search and identification; 4) as a sign (symbol) with cult-magic, sacred power; 5) as an element of the ritual of initiation (introduction) of the deceased into the afterlife; 6) as a family and personal, facsimile stroke (signature) - cliche (seal); 7) a medical, preventive and cosmetic means
8 ) as a type of artistic creation.
Who can get a thief's tattoo?
Thieves tattoos, like everything else, have a classification. Authoritative tattoos can be tattooed by a person with a high status, acquired due to the severity of the committed crimes and connections in criminal circles. But this does not mean that any convicted felon who considers himself a thief can get his stars. After all, for the stars of thieves in the law, which are the most authoritative tattoo, in case of what, and can "ask". That is, to ask to tell about what deed they were earned. Therefore, any thieves' blatant tattoos must be earned. The most popular, among thieves' tattoos, are images of a ring. This thieves' sign can tell about how many years, where and for what the criminal was sitting.
Shamrock. USA
The shamrock tattoo is a symbol of St. Patrick's Day, a symbol of the country of Ireland. But that's not all the meanings the design carries. In the United States, this tattoo means that you are a gang member from North America. In simple words, you are either a bandit, or you belong to a number of families who once robbed and killed civilians. Yes, there are circles where it is customary to stuff exactly the shamrock to signify one's position in society, and as a rule, these people do not travel outside the territory of their city so as not to frighten other people with their life story.
Gangs from North America have already racked up nearly 1/5th of all known and noisy murders across the continent. So it's best if your shamrock is covered up with clothes or some decorative accessory thing. Americans will hardly listen to you - saying, I'm from another country, I didn't know the meaning, etc. That does not exempt you from responsibility, and don't be surprised if someone hits you. It's okay, and the police won't stand up for you, even if you love St. Patrick.
Other popular Scandinavian-style tattoos
In addition to solar symbols, one of the most popular trends in Scandinavian tattoos is runic inscriptions. Scandinavian runes are called Futhark. Each rune has its own sacred meaning, so before applying such a tattoo, you must carefully study their meaning and assess the harmony of the combination.There are also other interesting options tattoo in the Nordic style:
- The World Tree. According to Viking beliefs all worlds of the universe connects the huge ash tree - Yggdrasil. Tattoo with his image reflects the desire of the bearer to learn the world, a deep immersion in the Scandinavian pagan traditions.
- One. The image of the supreme god of the Scandinavian pantheon is a good fit for those who are close to the qualities attributed to this god - wisdom, cunning, deep knowledge of the world around him.
- Ravens of Odin. According to legend, Wotan was always accompanied by two servants - the ravens Munin and Hugin. Their image fits people who seek meaning in the world around them, who are craving for knowledge and reflection.
- The Valkyries. Depiction of winged maidens-warriors reflects courage and bravery of the wearer. Such tattoos are popular not only among men, but also among women.
In addition to images of deities and other characters of mythology Scandinavian style includes various ornaments. They are among the most ancient varieties of traditional tattoos. The most popular is the runic ligature, an ornament consisting of interwoven northern runes.
No less popular and other ornaments in the northern style, thanks to the universality of such pictures, they can be placed virtually on any part of the body. In most cases, they do not contain deep sacred meaning and serve only an aesthetic function.
Tattoos of northern themes with the image of the sun are also found in other areas of body art. For example, among the tattoo of the Slavic pagan style. In them, the image of the sun symbolizes the deity of the Slavic pantheon - Yarilo. Such tattoos have a deep sacred meaning, reflect the unity of the bearer with the universe, can give additional strength and energy.In ancient times, such drawings performed a protective function, together with various amulets should have resisted the penetration of "evil spirits" into the body. Nowadays, they are used to emphasize belonging to a certain subculture.
