Full-rigged Ship Tattoo Design by Greg James

Maritime tattoos and the full-rigged sailing ship have been found together since tattooing first entered modern western culture with early sailors in the South Pacific. While many maritime tattoo designs will use a ship for various reasons, there was also a specific reason for a tattoo of a full-rigged ship–sailing around Cape Horn. Alternatively, it has also been noted that a sailor who sails around the Cape is entitled to a small blue five-pointed star tattoo on the left ear. Five times around the horn earned one on the right ear as well. Two red marks on the forehead meant that the sailor was a mighty voyager, having rounded the Cape ten or more times.