Some ancient cultures in places such as Minoan Crete and Toltec Mexico believed in butterfly goddesses. They were believed to be the embodiment of certain butterflies that were symbolic of love, beauty and the spirits of the dead – quite the opposite of the other meanings huh? They were a symbolic reminder of all those women who died in childbirth and warriors that were killed in battle. Another symbol in stark contrast to love and beauty was the butterfly goddess of ancient Mexico – goddess of war and human sacrifice.

In ancient Greece, the human psyche was represented in art with wings of a butterfly. The caterpillar that transforms into a butterfly is the symbolism used in Greek mythology to represent the earth bound human being that later transforms into the aerial human soul that flies to the wondrous beyond. Many cultures used butterflies as the symbol of regeneration, transformation and flight. They believed that the butterflies carried the souls of the dead to heaven. Some believed that the butterflies were the souls themselves returning to earth.

The ancient Roman emperor, Augustus, adopted the butterfly design as his personal symbol. Some ancient warrior priests of Mexico also wore the butterfly symbol on their breast plates which also symbolized fire. Early Japanese culture (even before the golden period) used butterflies as symbols for their warlords and Samurai. So you see, the butterfly design is not exclusive to women!

In the Japanese culture, the image of a butterfly spreading its brand new wings – after its long wait in the cocoon – is a famously symbolic of young girls. It represented the surfacing of beauty and grace which regarded change as blissful and not distressing. Similarly the Native Americans used the butterfly as symbolic of guidance during change. The Chinese viewed it as a symbol of marital bliss.

The Aztecs associated butterflies with women who died in childbirth and warriors who died in battle. In some Chinese stories butterflies represent dead women’s souls, but they more often symbolize Summer, Joy, and Longevity!

For many Native American tribes butterflies symbolize the souls of the dead but also Transformation, because the insects emerge from the chrysalis. They also associate the butterfly with Beauty.

The butterfly signifies Fire to the Aztecs while in Celtic solar festivals the firebrand that rekindled the hearth fire after it had been extinguished was called the “Butterfly.”

From the bland caterpillar to the fantastic winged creature of astonishing beauty, the butterfly has become a symbol for transformation and hope, rebirth and resurrection, the triumph of the spirit and the freeing of the soul over the material world.

See also:

Most Popular Free Tattoo Patterns: Butterflies

Don’t give in to peer pressure when selecting a tatoo design. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean you have to follow suit. Tattoes are meant to be unique; there’s nothing special about getting the same tattoo as a friend.

Also, try to avoid getting a tattoo of a romantic interest. Even if you’re married and get a dedication tattoo of your spouse you’re taking a chance that you might not always be together. Yes, it’s hard to think about but the divorce rate in the United States is around 50%. Think of the celebrities that have gotten tattoos of their loved ones only to later regret it. Some of them end up getting them either removed or covered up with some other design.

Think about the location for the tattoo. The most painful areas for getting tattoos are the sides of the lower back, the inner thigh area, the rib area, the inside of the upper arm, the center of the upper back. The area near joints tend to hurt a lot because of the amount of nerve endings in those areas. Also the skin above bones like the anklebone or the collarbone tend to be more painful for getting tattoos.

Tattoes are permanent markings that will probably be with you for the rest of your life. Choose wisely. Select a design that means something to you and that says something about you and your beliefs, goals, and/or values as a person. Select a design that complements your skin tone. Select a location that showcases a part of your body that you’re proud of or select a location that only you and special loved ones can see. You’ve got tons of choices out there so do your homework and get a design that you’ll be proud of for years to come.

For more information see also:

Laser Tattoo Removals

How Much Does a Tattoo Cost?

The Popularity of Lower Back Tattoos

Celtic Cross Tattoos-What Do They Mean?

Tribal Butterfly Tattoos

Glow in the Dark Tattoos

Symbolism

Butterflies often represent:

• rebirth
• renewal
• perseverance
• rejuvenation
• the soul

Tribal tattoos often represent:

• a person’s identification with a cultural heritage, belief, or practice.
• an allegiance to a specific social group or culture.

Although you may see phrases like Polynesian tattoos, Celtic tattoos, Japanese tattoos, Filipino tattoos, or Maori tattoos, they all fall under the category of Tribal Tattoos. Tribal tattoos tend to be abstract in form and black in color however due to their recent popularity many of them are now applied in different colors.

Tribal butterfly tattoos are some of the most interesting tattoo designs available because of the artistic nature of the design. When viewing a tattoo of this nature your eyes are automatically drawn to the central image of the design, the butterfly. Some of the designs are so abstract that you may not recognize the butterfly at first glance. This makes the tattoo more interesting and by extension, often draws attention to the wearer!

Like many butterfly designs, tribal butterfly tattoos look great in the lower back area. However, unlike regular butterfly tattoes, tribal ones look good on both men and women.

As with all tattoo designs it’s important to follow the guidelines below:

• Start with an image that has clean, clear lines.
• Make sure the image has smooth curves.
• The curves should not be too close to one another otherwise the tattoo artist may have trouble applying the design to your body.
• Get a Xerox copy of the image in the exact size you want it placed on your body. This is very important because a design that looks great in a large size might not be appropriate as a smaller tattoo because the image may lose too much detail.

UPDATE: Attached below are tattoo flash sheets of tribal butterfly tattoos. Feel free to use them as you see fit:

1. Click on any image to open it inside a blank window.

2. Print.

For photos and more information on Tribal Tattoos see:

Lower Back Tribal Tattoos

Different Types of Free Tattoo Patterns

Butterfly tattoos look particularly sexy on the lower back when combined with tribal swirls on each side. These elements extend the width of the tattoo design and lay quite nicely along the back area. It’s important that the butterfly design be properly centered so the main body aligns with the wearer’s spine. Although off-center non-symmetrical designs work well on other parts of the body they do not lend themselves well to the lower back area. The exception would be to combine the butterfly tattoo design with floral elements. The butterfly design could be centered whereas the floral elements could naturally flow to the left and right of the design, but not necessarily in a symmetrical pattern.

Most commonly found on women, lower back tattoos are often reserved for the daintiest of designs. Everything from flowers to hearts and even lettering can be used as lower back tattoos. Popular in part because they are so appealing, lower back tattoos have quickly become a symbol of sexiness and are commonly seen during swimsuit season or on women who wear low rise jeans.

Since butterflies symbolize redemption, growth, rebirth, and perseverance some people also get words that have special meanings for them tattooed beneath the design.

Considerations When Getting Lower Back Tattoos

Because of the nerve endings in the lower back getting a tattoo in this area can be quite painful. If you have a history of lower back pain you may want to reconsider having a tattoo applied in that area. If you go forward with the process you may want to take some anti-inflammatory medicine before your tattoo session. You may also want to check with your doctor before proceeding with the tattoo. Additionally, you should ask the tattooist to allow for frequent breaks since those with lower back pain sometimes have trouble lying prone on their stomach for extended periods of time.

For more information on lower back photos and to see photos of designs that work well as lower back tattoos click on the following articles:

Lower Back Tribal Tattoos

Celtic Butterfly Tattoos

1. Celtic cultures consider butterflies to represent rebirth and growth. Since butterfly larvae transform within the cocoon and emerge as a beautiful creature people who have gone through tough times and emerged better and stronger may choose these tattoo designs.

2. Butterflies represent the soul.

3. In Chinese culture, two butterflies flying together represent undying love.

4. They can also represent luck and upcoming fortune.

Because most celtic butterfly designs are small they are good candidates for tattoos on the upper arm, ankle, or shoulder. However Celtic butterfly images can also be used in lower back tattoos if they are combined with Celtic designs outside the wings.

Celtic Knot Butterfly Tattoos

Celtic knots are intricate and sometimes asymmetrical designs that usually have no beginning or end. They were originally used by Celtic monks while praying to help them focus. As monks bowed in prayer they would rub their fingers along the knots to maintain their concentration.

Celtic knots were also used to symbolize Christianity. A popular three-pointed Celtic knot represents the Christian Trinity.

There are many ways in which Celtic knot butterflies are formed:

• Take a Celtic knot design and shape it to resemble the image of a butterfly.
• Fill just the body of the butterfly with the image of a Celtic knot.
• Fill both the body and the wings with several Celtic knot designs.

Before getting a Celtic butterfly tattoo it’s important to start with a clear image with clean lines. Your tattoo artist will then outline the tattoo onto your skin before filling it in. Celtic butterfly tattoos usually don’t take too long to apply because they are usually comprised of a series of lines with minimal filler.

Here are some examples of Celtic butterfly tattoos:

For more information on butterfly tattoos see:

Butterfly Tattoo Patterns & Symbolism