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QUETZALCOATL TATTOO - Quetzalcóatl, the feathered serpent, was one of the major deities in the ancient Mexican pantheon. In Aztec times (14th through 16th centuries) Quetzalcóatl was revered as the patron of priests, the inventor of the calendar and of books, and the protector of goldsmiths and other craftsmen; he was also identified with the planet Venus. As the morning and evening star, Quetzalcóatl was the symbol of death and resurrection. Quetzalcóatl's calendar name was Ce Acatl (One Reed). The belief that he would return from the east (where he had traveled after being expelled by the God of the night sky) in a One Reed year led the Aztec sovereign Montezuma II to regard the Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés and his comrades as divine envoys, because 1519, the year in which they landed on the Mexican Gulf coast, was a One Reed year. |
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RESURRECTION TATTOO - This Coptic tattoo design shows a theme of great importance in Christian art and, like the other Coptic designs in this volume, is taken from a collection compiled from a tattooist in Jerusalem, where pilgrims to the Holy City have used tattoos to proclaim their faith and celebrate their pilgrimage for centuries. The resurrection of Christ from his tomb, three days after dying on the cross, is the event which Easter celebrates and one which prefigures the resurrection of all believers. However, resurrection of the dead is also known in Judaism as well as Islam. In this example, a bearded Jesus, with left leg crossed behind the right and arms raised, rises from the dead as angels point at the tomb and at him. He holds in his right hand a long cross with streamers attached and is accompanied also by a dove and two stars. The whole design is capped with a church which is flanked by a sun and moon. More Christian Tattoos |
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SHIVA TATTOO - Also known as Siva or Siwa, this Hindu god is one of great complexity. With his four arms outstretched and his one leg raised in the great cosmic dance of creation and destruction, he is surrounded by flames in the most famous depictions and also wears a garland of skulls. He is a combination of opposites, both destroyer and giver of life, a symbol of sensuality and also a conveyor of souls. In this same vein, he also sometimes is shown as a combination of male and female. While perhaps not a common tattoo in Hindu parts of the world, where his image is considered particularly powerful, it is gaining in popularity in the West as knowledge of Eastern religions spreads and resonates. More Hindu Tattoos |
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THOR'S HAMMER TATTOO - Apart from a three-dimensional depiction of the Mjölner, Thor’s hammer, that might accompany a design with Thor, the Mjölner is also frequently a two-dimensional decorative motif that was used for hundreds of years during the Viking era, and recognized as a symbol of pre-Christian religion. They were worn as amulets, found on runic stones, carved on monuments and could be quite ornate. The hammer itself was forged by dwarves and used to battle giants and had many marvelous qualities, including that of returning to the thrower like a boomerang. Also See Rune Tattoos |
Tattoo design excerpts from the Tattoo Encyclopedia: A Guide to Choosing Your Tattoo
by Terisa Green and Greg James
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