Fish Tattoo Patterns and Their Meaning

Posted on February 4, 2010
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Fish Tattoo Patterns and Their Meaning Seas and oceans can offer some cool tattoo patterns with their inhabitants being the basis. Deep waters challenge us with the mysteries of the unknown while fish has an array of symbolic meanings in different cultures. Fish tattoo patterns are diverse and colorful as well.

Fish acts as a symbol of fertility, wealth, harmony, wisdom and sexual power. The latter is connected with the plenty of roe they spawn and with water being a symbol of fertility. At the same time fish can mean stinginess, bareness and indifference. But in general it has more positive connotations that negative, perhaps due to its ties with religion.

In Christianity fish symbolize faith, purity, the Virgin Mary, baptism, the Eucharist and Jesus Christ. There are references to fish in the Gospel: the miraculous fishing in which Jesus Christ tool part; the analogy between fishing and conversion of people to a new faith. Moreover, fish was depicted in the scenes of the last supper. Three fishes together symbolize the Holy trinity.

In Hinduism fish are free creatures that are safe from the Flood. They were depicted on Buddha’s soles and symbolized liberation from the load of daily cares. In China and India fish is marriage symbol. Iranians consider fish to positively influence people, and in some areas of Africa fish personify the souls of the dead.

There are a lot of fish tattoo patterns to consider: salmon tattoo stands for affluence, knowledge and inspiration while carp tattoo symbolizes force, courage and persistence and is often drawn red. Shark tattoo means danger, evil and death yet in the Japanese mythology shark is a messenger of the deity. Dolphin tattoo stands for freedom, nobleness, love and pleasure, as well as for rescue, Salvation and Resurrection.

Fish tattoo designs can also be connected to astrology. It your star sign is Pisces your can think of getting a tattoo that depicts two fish, swimming in opposite directions.

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Snake Tattoo Designs and Meaning

Posted on February 1, 2010
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Snake Tattoo Designs and Meaning Snake has the most complicated and the most ancient symbolism among all fauna representatives. Its symbolism consists of several components such as agricultural, sexual, mystical and philosophical. Snake tattoo designs, therefore, are diverse, the pattern depending on the meaning you choose. The most frequently named meanings are wisdom, passion, intuition, physical and spiritual rebirth.

In Ancient times people believed that snake keeps in touch with earth and water mysteries, darkness and the other world. It is often portrayed as solitary, reserved creature, often venomous, moving quickly and being able to swallow animals much bigger than it is.

Snake as a symbol has dual nature; it implies both creation and destruction, both security and danger, and the unity of opposites. On the one hand, it acts as a symbol of the powers that created life and sometimes stands for the Creator. Its curved body means spiral movement of the universe, and if a snake is depicted biting its own tail we see the symbol of eternity as well as self-sufficiency of the universe.

On the other hand, snake is the source of destruction in the world. It was accused of people’s losing eternal life, as in the story of Adam and Eve. Moreover, snake is often dangerous itself and can act as an emblem of death and chaos. In this meaning the snake (cobra, in particular) is pictured vertically with a large hood, or with its mouth open and ready to bite. Snake is also prototype of all the dragons and sea serpents from the western folklore.

Oriental cultures ascribe positive connotations to the snake. Snakes often appear to guard sacred places, water springs and treasures. There’s a belief that precious stones are made of snake’s saliva. Moreover, snakes symbolize rejuvenation, taken into account into ability to shed skin. Nowadays medical symbols include snakes in their designs.

So a snake tattoo can be different. It can include an apple, a sword or a bowl in its pattern. A snake killed with a sword acts as a symbol of valor and courage, as well as hatred and lie, while a snake curved round the solar disk mean the patronage of the sun. there can be also tribal styled snake tattoos.

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Courageous Wolf Tattoo

Posted on January 30, 2010
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Courageous Wolf Tattoo A wolf tattoo is a worthy decoration of human’s body. It is for a person who is not afraid of danger and easily runs risks. It symbolizes courage and might, endurance and stamina of its wearer.

Wolfs are notable representatives of fauna. They live in packs and choose one of them as a leader who makes all important decisions, heads chase and divides prey. Wolf has more than once showed its outstanding courage, that’s why different tribes of people began to call themselves “Wolf’s sons.” Ancient people were the first to adorn their bodies with images of wolves for they believed this would bring them good luck while hunting.

So wolf is a symbol of freedom and independence, as well as fearlessness because the animal always fights till victory, or death. It also symbolizes justice as normally it won’t do any harm to the weak. Wolves can tell us what the real devotion to his or her family is. A he-wolf courts only his she-wolf, his “wife,” takes care of their children, and will never commit adultery.

In mythology of Eurasian and North American peoples the image of wolf was primarily connected with the cult of the fighting squad’s leader or the tribe’s founder. Warriors and tribe’s members were called wolves. The animal also acted as a god of war in Indo-European culture. It was Apollo’s (Greek god of war) and Mars’s (Roman god of war) sacred animal. It is no coincidence that Mars’s children Romyl and Rem, the founders of the Eternal City (Rome), were reared by the Capitol She-wolf.

In medieval times the image of wolf acquired a negative connotation. It stood already for fierceness, slyness, greed, and sometimes gluttony (though the positive connotation remained). Nevertheless, such an attitude led to the fact that by the 19th century in Europe almost all wolves were exterminated. They also became associated with criminal groupings.

Nowadays wolf tattoos are often chosen by members of the armed forces and serviceman who mark in such a way their collaboration in military actions. People, who have gone through the war together, become as close as relatives, as close as wolves in the pack. They have carried out several urgent tasks, and became thus brave and courageous warriors. And that is the main meaning of a wolf tattoo.

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Eagle Tattoo Designs and Meaning

Posted on January 28, 2010
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Eagle Tattoo Designs and Meaning From all the birds tattoos eagle tattoos are more frequently chosen by men. They symbolize such qualities of human nature as power, courage, grit and fearlessness, the qualities that are typiclally ascribed to men.

Eagles live on high trees or rocks and fly high in the sky, that’s why they are considered to be strong and independent. They defend their territory fighting in the sky and refuse to give up when invaders approach. They typically have acute eyesight and can see even small birds and animals from the 2 miles distance. An eagle tattoo thus can show that its wearer possesses the above mentioned abilities.

Eagles are associated with gods of Heaven and Sun, rulers and warriors. The eagle is the lord of the sky and the universal & definite symbol of power, being the helpmate of all the great gods, as well as their personification. In one of the Greek myths, Zeus’s anger turned into the eagle that was tearing to pieces Prometheus’s liver. According to Ancient Roman’s beliefs, eagles could carry the souls of the dead to Heaven as they could look straight at the sun. That’s why they had a tradition to let an eagle out when the body of the dead emperor was being burnt. The flight of the eagle was also the omen of victory in the war.

Eagle Tattoo Designs and Meaning

In the medieval Christian iconography the eagle is associated with the Christ’s rapture to heaven, the prayers with which we address God, the descent of the grace of God and the victory over the evil (when the bird is depicted carrying a snake in its beak).

The connection between the eagle and the gods is also described in Ancient Egypt, west-Asian, Indian and Oriental cultures. When it is combined with the snake it becomes a symbol of the unity of opposites, the sky and the earth.

Eagle Tattoo Designs and Meaning

Nowadays we can see the U.S representation of the eagle, which is usually inked with stars around it and an American flag. And some people even get an eagle tattoo to show off their service that they have performed for the country.

The eagle tattoos may vary greatly. This bird can be depicted natural-looking or there’s also a possibility to make Celtic style or tribal style eagle tattoos. The tattoo is often made on the back covering the whole back from side to side. Women can choose an eagle tattoo to be done on their ankles, for instance.

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