Some people choose tattoos simply because they see the design and fall in love with it. Others look for symbols and images that have deep meaning. The Ouroboros tattoo is one of those designs that not only looks great, but it's also packed with ancient meaning.
And those who choose it will certainly be aware of what it symbolizes.
Ouroboros is an ancient Greek symbol that shows a round serpent or dragon that devours its own tail. This self-eating drawing first appeared around the 14th century B.C. and has since been adopted by many cultures and religions as a spiritual symbol.
It is regarded as positive and is even used in mathematics as a symbol of infinity. The word Ouroboros comes from the Greek word "Ora," which means tail, and "Boros," which means food. Ouroboros symbolizes the cycle of life.
It shows how we live and die and is a symbol of rebirth. It is closely related to the Phoenix as illustrated again, starting another cycle has ended.
What does the Ouroboros tattoo mean
Ouroboros (Oroboros, Oroboro, Oroboros, Oureboros, Ooroboros) is one of the oldest signs that has survived to our time, its meanings can be very different.
"Ouro" is translated from Greek as "tail," "Boro" as "food. This deciphering of the word fully corresponds to the graphic image of the sign, representing a snake or a dragon biting its own tail.
Such a tattoo has an impressive and unusual appearance, so it is often used to decorate one's body.
Religious associations
In the Christian tradition, the attitude towards snakes is known to all. It is wisdom, but wisdom "with a minus sign", that is, tempting knowledge, cunning. However, the Christian Gnostic uroboros was actively used symbol, denoting the unity of good and evil, the absence of a clear line between them. The serpent absorbing itself and emerging from itself is itself good and evil. A person with the same perception of the world may well make himself such a tattoo.
The history of the Ouroboros symbol and its characteristics
Even in our time, historians do not have an exact opinion on how such a picture appeared. Moreover, it is unknown what is the cultural affiliation of this sign. Some believe that the Oroboros is of Chinese origin. Others believe that it comes from ancient Greek culture.
Such differences of opinion can be explained by the fact that the picture was used in all cultures in different time periods. Experts agree on only one thing: the 1st writings mentioning Ouroboros are related to Babylonian myths.
People engaged in archaeology find with some regularity household items and works of art decorated with pictures of Ouroboros. Findings are made in all countries: thus, exhibits have been found in Scandinavian, Chinese, Indian, Greek, and Egyptian territories.
The subtleties of the display of Ouroboros depend on its cultural affiliation. Some nuances are the same for different peoples. Any picture is based on the serpent, coiled in a circle and devouring its tail.
At first glance, the Oroborus has a dangerous and even slightly repulsive appearance. However, if you look closely, you can see the visual appeal due to the long, refined body of the snake, a lot of additional details.
Meaningful messages of the tattoo Ouroboros
Uroboros tattoo meaning may be as follows:
- In the ancient countries of the West, people believed that the reptile, which curled up in a circle, represents the endless cycle of life. After leaving life, the creature is reborn, and after creation it is destroyed.
- The same view was held by the ancient Greek and Aztec peoples who inhabited the South American territory.
- For the ancient Chinese, the Ouroboros was the prototype of the Oriental dragon, which is known in various countries. They perceived Oreboros only positively, made its wearer lucky, and provided him with protection from the dark forces. Asians also perceived the Ouroboros tattoo as a symbol of cyclicality.
- In the Hindus, Ouroboros was called the incarnation of the god Shesha, who held up the vault of heaven. The creature, curled up in a ring, symbolized the energy left in the world after the creation of the universe. In other words, the Hindus equated it with the original chaos. The inhabitants of India reptile not only eats its tail, but also wrapped around the earth, engaged in its protection and conservation.
- The inhabitants of Scandinavia associated the Oroboro with Ermungand, who lived under the water and wrapped his body around the Earth's solid. According to Norse lore, the snake continued to grow in size, and therefore could not completely swallow its tail.
To the Scandinavians, Ermungand was a vicious creature, who wanted to attack the deities at the time of Ragnarök. Cyclicity can be mentioned here, too, as new mighty gods came to replace the deities that fell during Ragnarök.
- The reverent attitude toward Oroboros was distinguished by the inhabitants of Egypt. They believed that this being was extremely powerful, controlling life and death. The Egyptians believed that if Oroboros stopped patronizing these processes, the whole world would collapse.
Separately must be said about the symbolism of the Oroboros for the Slavic peoples. Historians believe that the Old Russian lands this sign came from the Scandinavian or Eastern countries.
The Slavs, unlike the inhabitants of Scandinavia, did not attribute any negative qualities to the creature. On the contrary, they believed that the snake had only positive energy and protected them from evil spirits.
In the Middle Ages, too, Oroborus was highly valued. It was endowed with powerful witchcraft properties, which is why it was used by those engaged in alchemy, magic, divination, and healing.
Its Meaning in Indian Culture
But the symbol was used quite widely in India, where its interpretation also has its own nuances. There the ouroboros is one of the incarnations of the god Shesha, the holder of all the planets. He represents the residual energy, from the creation of all worlds, that is, the original chaos that was before the beginning of time in Hindu philosophy. It looks like not just a serpent biting its own tail, but wrapped in a ring around the earth and protects it. This is what gives the Uroboros tattoo its protective value.
Modern interpretation of Ouroboros
Of course, such an important sign for the world history could not remain without the attention of modern scientists. Much attention was given to its study by Carl Gustav Jung, who was engaged in psychoanalysis in Switzerland. He decoded the meaning of the symbol in terms of psychoanalysis.
According to his deciphering, Ouroboros symbolizes inevitable darkness, self-destructive behavior. Neumann, who followed Jung's teachings, believed that Ouroboros denotes the initial stage of human personality formation.
In general, today's decipherments of the meaning of the Ouroboros tattoo do not differ from those used hundreds of years ago. The reptile characterizes the cyclical life, the inextricable connection between complete opposites, death and emergence into the light, the light and dark sides, the beginning and the end of all things.
People who believe in the just laws of the universe can apply themselves a tattoo with Oroboros to use it as a protective sign, a talisman. Cyclicality is characteristic of certain events, it cannot be avoided. So, people must not be afraid of it. The perception of the whole sequence of such events must be wise and correct.
Of course, this amulet is not quite usual. This is not the amulet that radiates goodness, positivity, positive energy. The meaning of the Ouroboros is that any deed has consequences. If a person does good, Oureboros helps him receive a corresponding return in the form of a reward. If a person does evil, however, one should not be amazed that he often encounters negative events.
Features of the tattoo
- Will set the wearer apart from the crowd
- Will state his personal philosophy.
After a long time of oblivion, the image is back at the peak of popularity. Such a tattoo is a kind of amulet, able to turn away evil from a person, to help the owner understand what is destined to him by fate. Ouroboros is a powerful totem for someone who believes that there is a rebirth after death.
Meaning of tattoos Uroboros for men and women
The meanings of the Ouroboros tattoo for men and women do not differ. The tattoo symbolizes:
- Cyclical life.
Such a sketch is applied to his skin strong in spirit people who are not afraid of death, because he believes in rebirth. - One beginning and one end.
This interpretation indicates that everything in the world is closely connected, there is no beginning and end to the path, as everything is one. - There is a constant struggle.
In this case, the message of the image is twofold. The picture symbolizes either the struggle with the world around us, the difficulties of life, or the desire to overcome their shortcomings. - The inability to fully experience life.
This interpretation has theological roots. The bearer of the image shows that the divine creation cannot be fully known, something will always remain secret.
Meaning in Western countries.
In Germanic-Scandinavian mythology, snakes in principle rarely denoted any positive aspect. The serpent motif itself as a hero's way is a very European and Scandinavian motif. In these mythologies, the ouroboros is a serpent that encircles the earth with its body and waits for the end of the world or Ragnarek to emerge from the waters and poison the sky. He is not unconditionally evil, just fulfilling his ancient function. Here an interesting oxymoron appears. The serpent, which signifies eternity, is also the one who will put an end to the world. This gives Ouroboros also philosophical meaning, the tattoo with him can remind of the finality of life, the inevitability of leaving for the next world.
Where can you place the tattoo of Ouroboros
There are no strict rules here. The tattoo can be placed wherever you want. If you have chosen a simple ornament, which is characterized by a schematic, where there are no shadows and additional elements, it is not necessary to chase a large size of the sketch. You can place the image, for example, on the wrist.
If the visual perfection of the image is important for you, you can make it colored, complemented by smooth gradient shades, shadows, penumbra, a lot of elements that emphasize an unusual and original look. In this case it is necessary to place the sketch on a more spacious part of the body. Not bad options - shoulder, forearm, collarbone, shin.
Style and location
There are no restrictions on the location of the kite. For a schematic pattern without a lot of details perfectly suits the wrist. Most often, to perform such a tattoo choose:
A larger area of the body choose if the graphic perfection of the pattern, made in color with penumbra and gradients, is important. For its location is suitable:
