Is Sailing Anchor Tattoo the Notion of the Past?

Posted on October 6, 2009
Filed Under Curious Tattoo Facts, Tattoo Meanings

Is Sailing Anchor Tattoo the Notion of the Past?
Sailing Anchor tattoo are typical of people of a certain profession - of people who pursue marine or navy career.

Yes, it was sailors who revived tattoo art in the West as they were the first to visit Polynesian Islands in the Pacific Ocean and the countries of the South-eastern Asia. As early as in 1786 Captain Cook during his research work on Tahiti, in the Hawaii and New Zealand did sketches of the native people tattoos. The very word tattoo came is derived from a Tahitian word “tat-tow,” which imitated the natives making a tattoo with traditional tools.

Life was very severe at the sea, and only the strongest survived. Dependent constantly on weather and the mood of the sea, the sailors were very superstitious and believed that a tattoo will protect from being thrown overboard, from the shark and from a shipwreck.

Sailors actually did not regard themselves as representatives of “tattoo culture,” tattoos were just an inseparable part of their existence. Every tattoo was meaningful: when having crossed the equator, one tattoo design was appropriate, when visiting the East – the other.

Is Sailing Anchor Tattoo the Notion of the Past?

Sailors liked having a tall ship tattoo on their breasts or cannon on arms and backs. Many of them had prayers and religious texts tattooed, though leading a wild life. It was to remind them about piety and also to minimize heavy bodily punishment. Very popular among sea tattoos were those of mermaids, hearts and names of the beloved, sailing anchors, swallows, which all constituted the entire direction in tattoo art of the 19th-20th centuries. Now it is referred to old school or traditional tattoos.

Sailing anchor tattoo is a classic old school tattoo design. It has been one of the most widespread tattoos in the west for the last two centuries. Its symbolism and meanings have been known since ancient times. Anchor is a symbol that helps not to lose the way, to withstand winds and streams and to stay yourself in any situation.

Anchor tattoos were often made by sailors after having crossed the Atlantic. Synonymic sea tattoos are tall ship and mermaid tattoos and other navigation symbols.