Archive for free tattoo patterns
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.
Japanese Tattoos
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The closest Japanese word for tattoo in use today is Irezumi – a word that suggests the addition of ink under the skin to leave a permanent mark commonly for decorative purposes. The word when written in different ways means different things. It literally means to ‘insert ink’ but with varying letters it could also mean ‘decorating the body’. The actual word for tattooing is very rarely used.
In ancient Japanese history tattooing was used for spiritual and decorative purposes; and this practice dates back to roughly 10,000 B.C! (Surprising isn’t it, to realize something as contemporary as tattoos can be so ancient a tradition!). Although several scholars have suggested that the markings found on the faces and bodies of figures dating back to that period in time represent tattoos, it is not undisputed. There is however, striking similarities between those markings and the tradition of tattoos found in other cultures. The Ainu people (indigenous Japanese people) are also known for their use of tattoos for communal purposes. There is no known connection however, with their practice and that of Irezumi.
Although tattoos were initially used to signify spirituality and status among the ancient society, by the Kofun period (around 300 – 600 AD) people started to use tattoos as means of marking criminals.
Through the years the practice of tattooing altered its significance in the Japanese society; during 1600 AD (the Edo period) however, tattooing began to evolve as the intricate art form – which it is today.
The practice was again outlawed by the Japanese government during the Meiji era (1868 – 1912) in an attempt to impress the rising West. Tattoos again came to be associated with criminals as they continued the tradition underground. They were linked to the Yakuza (the mafia of Japan) for several years and the bias is still visible in contemporary Japan. People with tattoos are still not allowed inside public baths, fitness centres and hot springs.
The Meanings of Viveca A Fox’s Tattoos
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Vivica Anjanetta Fox (popularly known as Vivica A. Fox), is a gifted actress and television producer. She is best known for her roles in feature films such as Independence Day, Set It Off, Soul Food, Why Do Fools Fall In Love, and Kill Bill: Vol. 1.
Vivica is of a mixed descent (African American and Native American) and was born in South Bend, Indiana in 1964. Vivica later moved to California to attend Golden West College and it was around that time that she also made her first foray into professional acting. Vivica started her career with roles on soap operas such as Generations, Days of our Lives and The Young and the Restless. Some of the other early roles she played include: Jazz’s sister on the successful comedy show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Beverly Hills 90210. Her big break in the film industry came with roles in movies such as Independence Day and Set It Off (1996).
She is not known for flaunting her tattoos as much as some of the other actresses and musicians, nevertheless, she has quite a collection. Vivica has a rose and a bunch of vines on her lower back. She calls them her “handle bars” (for what reason? I could only but guess)
She also has a tattoo of a tiny fox on her right arm. Is it a coincidence that her last name is also Fox? Maybe not! According to Native North American mythology a fox is representative of a trickster. A fox is known for its intelligence, its surprising cleverness in escaping traps – eluding predators and going about its environment at night. It represents a morally neutral person; someone unpredictable! Given Vivica’s part Native American descent, it is possible that the fox tattoo represents all those things.
Vivica also has a small tattoo ring around one of her toes (purely esthetic I suppose), a large cross on her back (right shoulder blade) and a vertical line of three Chinese language characters.
Cross Tattoo Designs
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The cross tattoo design is perhaps one of the most popular tattoo designs in use today. Every person I know (with tattoos), including some celebrities, has at least one cross symbol (if not more). Some people wear the symbol as an expression of their religious beliefs – they are Christian; they believe in the scriptural reference to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross – plain and simple. Some others however, give the symbol their own special meaning (not necessarily Christian). Very few people today wear the cross for its ancient symbolism – I’m talking of a period in time even before Jesus; a long, long time ago in human civilization.
It is believed that even back then, the symbol has significant religious attachments. Some associate the use of the cross symbol to the use of the early swastika symbol (which looks very much like a cross minus the handles). It is believed that this early symbol represented the tools used in igniting a fire and eventually became a symbol of the sacred fire or a symbol of the Sun. It is also believed to be representative of lightning or the god of the tempest. It is seen as the emblem of the ancient Aryan civilization (now adopted by the Hindu people. The Hindu swastika symbol looks very much like the Nazi German symbol but means something else).
Another such connection made to the contemporary cross is that of the ancient Egyptians – the ansated cross (also known as the Ankh or crux ansata). It is the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic character that reads “eternal life”. The Egyptian gods of old are often depicted carrying this in their hand. It is believed that the Egyptian Christians (otherwise known as Coptic Christians) later adopted this symbol – perhaps drawn by its form or meaning – as the sign of the cross.
Cross tattoos are famous among men (worn on the shoulders, back, forearm). Women have a (usually) smaller and more feminine version (on the foot, ankle, hand, lower back).
Fairy Tattoo Designs
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Another popular tattoo design is that of fairies. Most women like the effeminate, delicate look of a fairy and perhaps it reminds them of their childhood – their days of fairy tales and carefree wanderings. I’ve never seen a guy with a fairy tattoo till date; have you?
The term fairy brings to mind the picture of a tiny human like magical creature with transparent wings – for instance tinker bell; but fairies were not always that cute. Folklore has it that fairies were initially depicted as tall, glowing, angelic beings or a shorter shriveled trolls! Their wings – another trademark of fairies today – are supposed to have become common in the Victorian era and in later works. The fairies of folklore although they flew, dint have wings. They flew magically – however small they were – sometimes on ragwort (a kind of flower) stems and sometimes on the backs of birds.
In some, other animals have also been described as fairies. This can be attributed to the fairy’s magical ability to change shapes. Like wise their tiny forms were magically assumed and not their original size. Much of the folklore talks about protection from their wickedness – you see fairies are not all angels! It is said that cold iron is fairies like kryptonite to superman. Some charms of rowan and herbs are also used to keep them away. Stories are told of them stealing babies and kidnapping older people as well. Some describe them as having green eyes and those using words to confuse people since they cannot lie. They are also often shown as ones that bite! They hate being thanked as they see it as a sign of someone who forgets the good deed done. They’d prefer a different sign that will guarantee remembrance.
Reverend Robert Kirk, Minister of the Parish of Aberfoyle, Stirling, Scotland, in 1691 wrote: “These Siths or Fairies they call Sleagh Maith or the Good People…are said to be of middle nature between Man and Angel, as were Daemons thought to be of old”. Some believe they are the dead or a particular class of the dead. A few other are of the opinion that they are “demoted angels”. After the angels’ revolt, when God shut the gates of heaven those that stayed in heaven became angels, those that were in hell became devils and those stuck in between became fairies.