Archive for Free Tattoo Designs
Butterfly Tattoo Designs
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One of the most popular tattoo designs among women is that of a butterfly. In fact it is symbolic of the feminine influence in the culture. In earlier cultures the butterfly came to be associated with the superficial, erratic aspects of the human soul owing to its apparent physical beauty and its habit of moving from flower to flower for nectar. They also associated the butterfly with the transient due to its very short lived life span.
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.
Cat Tattoo Designs
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The cat, for many is representative of freedom of thought, independence and quick recovery. The Cat supposedly has nine lives – the animal earned this reputation primarily due to its inexplicable ability to land on its feet no matter what great a height it falls from.
Studies show that Cats have walked the earth for about 50 million years now. It first appeared as a small clever animal which was a predatory carnivore with retractable claws. The Cat has always evoked different reactions from different people – love, hate and even fear. Similarly, various ancient cultures viewed the cat in different light. Some considered it good luck while others thought it was a bad omen. Some considered it sacred, even as a god and some considered it an instrument of evil.
The cat was most revered perhaps in ancient Egypt. It is believed that by 3000BC the cat had become an influential totem. It was symbolic of the feminine representing fertility and motherhood. It was also associated with the moon in early Egypt. It appears as the defeater of evil Apep in the book of the dead. The Egyptians even depicted many of their gods in the form of a cat – either fully or as a half breed (half human half cat). In Egyptian mythology the lion headed goddess Sekmet appears to be the ruler of human fate who had a twin sister Mafdet – the domestic cat. Cats were so sacred to the early Egyptians that killing one earned the death sentence. It is popularly believed that the Persians while at war with the Egyptians captured thousands of cats and threatened to kill them unless they surrendered. The Egyptians surrendered!
In other parts of the world cats were loved for several other reasons. In Japan and China it was valued for its ability to rid the silkworm cultivators of mice. In Thailand, the Siamese cat was a revered temple cat and the cat supposedly guarded the temples of Buddha in India.
Some cultures however associated the animal with Witchcraft and witches leading to the superstitions associated with a black cat. It was believed that a black cat crossing your path brought bad luck.
Many today have come to love the creatures and regard them as silent companions. For many they make a great house pet as they are cleaner and you don’t have to deal with all the poop scooping – like with dogs. I personally don’t like cats all that much but I do think they make great tattoo designs!
Celtic Cross Tattoo Designs
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The cross for most people is representative of their religious beliefs however the Celtic cross (for the Irish, Scottish or Welsh) is more a symbol of their proud ethnic heritage than of religious beliefs. The same goes for people coming from the Celtic background anywhere else in the world.
The Celtic art had strong influences from the Norse art by way of cultural exchanges through trade and conquests, which leads to confusion regarding the actual origin of the art forms. The Celtic designs are known for their intricate weaving patterns which supposedly imitate the complexity of nature. The famous Celtic knots in mazes and spirals, and the complex interweaving without beginning or end is symbolic of the cycle of the seasons and of life itself.
A cross through a circle is probably one of the most famous Celtic cross designs. It is believed that this form took shape during the early years of Christian intervention in the sun and moon worshipping culture. According to the legend of St. Patrick the two separate forms came together in his attempt to bring the Druids to Christ. It is said the St. Patrick blessed a sacred stone (marked with a circle) by making the mark of a Latin cross through the circle. Even after the Christians re-sculpted the stone, the Druids apparently continued to view their ancient symbols.
As for the meaning of the Celtic cross, it is believed that the circle represents the mystical while the cross represents the geographical. The circle indicates the eternal and continuous love of God while the cross indicates the four corners or the four directions of the earth. Some even say it represents the four elements – air, water, fire and earth – and the coming together of the axes indicates the joining of forces like earth and heaven. It suggest a realm where time and space stop existing – a prerequisite for communication between our world and the mysterious beyond.
The History of Chinese Tattoos
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Chinese tattoos are the in thing nowadays. They not only look great but often have a deep meaning that makes it even better.
Like most of the world, the Chinese also associated tattooing with criminal behaviour. Those found guilty of a serious crime were tattooed on their face and sent into exile. The tattoo served as a permanent mark that marked him as a criminal if he were to return after the exile. The Chinese word for tattoos is Ci Shen or Wen Shen which when literally translated means to ‘puncture the body’. Although tattooing has become a common practice today, the ancient Chinese saw this as a denigration of the body – something unattractive.
Very little is known of its discovery and use in the ancient world. The popular history of Chinese tattooing we know now derives mostly from 940 AD on. A reference to tattooing is found in one of the classical novels of Chinese literature. The story is of Song Jiang and his 108 companions, who were bandits in the Mount Liang area (12th century districts of China). Three of these bandits are fabled to have had full body tattoos.
Perhaps the most famous of these legends is that of the Chinese general Yueh Fei of the South Song Dynasty. The South Song Dynasty (between 960 1279 AD) is known to be the first government in all of history that issued paper money and was also the first one to institute a permanent navy. It is said that during a battle the Marshall under whom General Yueh Fei served, deserted his army and joined the enemy. After this betrayal General Yueh Fei quit the army and went home to his mother. Apparently, his mother did not take too kindly to his renouncement of the Chinese army. She later tattooed the words that (more or less) mean ‘Serve China and be loyal even in the face of death’, to serve as a constant reminder that his first responsibility lay with his country.
Although the mainstream culture does not have any traditions with tattooing, many minority Chinese groups have traditions that go back a few centuries. Most notably the Drung and Dai tribes, as well as the Li people of Hainan Island.
Five Dots Tattoos
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The dots tattoo means different things in different cultures. It is a group of five dots placed like that on a dice. It is normally placed on the arm between the forefinger and the thumb.
The five dots in Portugal resemble the five shields (reminiscent of the five wounds of Jesus’ crucifixion) of the Portuguese flag. This tattoo was previously worn on the shoulder or the hand by some members of the Portuguese army. Today it has become more like a Portuguese-American or Portuguese-Canadian street tattoo.
In Greece and Romania the tattoo is normally worn by prison inmates much like many inmates in the American, Canadian and French prisons. They represent the four walls of the prison cell, with the individual in the middle. In South America however, the dot in the centre represents a cop, surrounded by four prisoners.
The tattoo also holds another meaning in the United States. It is said to be the sign of an anti government group that is mostly in Colorado. It also means that the wearer is a member of the Blood or People Nation gangs representative of the points of a five point star. This tattoo is normally placed on the left hand. It is also a common symbol among the Oriental Troop gang. The five dots here represent the number 5 in the number 15 which denotes the letter O, meaning Oriental. Additionally in their culture the five dots stand for Health, Wealth, Family, Love, and Respect.
According to the criminals of Russia (who are sporting the majority of these tattoos) the dots stand for “I will not forget prison”.
The United Kingdom has a unique meaning for the five dots tattoo. It is very popular among the youth there and is said to stand for “find her, follow her, finger her, f*** her, forget her” – yea, unique indeed!
African Tattooing Techniques
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We all know how tattooing is done (with a tattoo machine you say – I hear you!). The basic idea behind it is to open or scar the skin and rub some kind of a pigment on it that will remain under the skin as the wound heals (a long time ago people used ash as pigment). While most cultures use similar techniques for tattooing, the African tattoo technique is among the most unique form of the art. The tribes of Africa use a sort of texturing process as opposed to the more popular dying or pigmentation techniques. You see, the procedure is unique not only because it’s different from the usual technique but also because it’s a heck of a lot more painful than normal! The African tribes use this process to mark their passage into womanhood or manhood (I agree. Growing up is the toughest thing I’ve ever had to do!)
The tattoo design is literally cut into the flesh with a knife or a similar sharp object. Due to the tribal people’s dark skin color merely pigmenting the cut with color is not enough to create a distinct design. So they pack the wound with colored soil or dust to form a sort of elevated design. The scar that results as the flesh wound heals is the tattoo! (No way am I going to get one of those!)
I’m sure you can imagine just how excruciating the process is. For the indigenous peoples of Africa this process indicates whether a child entering womanhood / manhood will be able to survive the hardships of life that are prevalent among the tribes. These tattoos often are indicative of the wearer’s age, rank and affiliation. They are highly esteemed symbolizing a major accomplishment in toughness and fortitude. They show case the wearer’s worth to himself / herself and to the tribe as a whole.