Pentagram Tattoo

The Pentagram Tattoo

Pentagram Tattoo

Another star tattoo design with a religious or spiritual meaning is the pentagram tattoo.

The pentagram (aka pentangle), a five pointed star, has been used as a symbol by many religions and cultures throughout history, it's one of the oldest symbols in the world.

Here's an overview of the different symbolic meanings of the pentagram:

• The pentagram is a symbol of protection against evil.
• Astronomy: the pentagram is a symbol of feminity. During it's path around the sun, the planet Venus follows a pattern that resembles a pentagram.
• 5 elements: the pentagram is the symbol for the 5 elements: light, air, wind, fire and water.
• Ancient Egypt: on ancient Egyptian graves, the pentagram is a symbol for the celestial sky.
• Pythagoras: for Pythagoreans, the pentagram is a symbol for mathematical perfection.
• Christianity: the pentagram symbolizes the 5 senses and is a symbol of health. In the Middle Ages it was the symbol for the 5 cross wounds of Jesus Christ.
• Satanism (black magic): they use a reversed pentagram inside a double circle. Inside the pentagram is the head of a goat. Each point has a Hebrew letter, forming the word LVYTN (Leviathan, a mythological sea monster from the Old Testament).
• Wicca (white magic): a religion based on nature. The pentagram is a symbol of faith for wiccans. Pentagram tattoos are a fairly popular goth tattoo.

In any case, suffice it to say that star tattoos can sometimes transcend the purely decorative and take on a more metaphysical or symbolic meaning.

Butterfly in upper tattoo

The most popular spots for a butterfly tattoo

cute small tattoo

The Men Who Stare At Hoots

This submission comes from Alyssa, and it's actually a nice cover-up of a shooting star. Done by Ben from Redemption Tattoo in Cambridge Massachusetts.

Chinese tattoos

Chinese tattoos and especially the Chinese characters tattoo have been very popular in the Western world the last decade or so, and they still are today. Chinese characters are beautiful little pieces of art. They are exotic and mysterious, what makes them very suitable for a tattoo design. No wonder you see so many Chinese symbol tattoos around these days.

There's more to Chinese tattoos than just the symbol tattoos, although tattoos have quite a negative connotation in traditional Chinese culture. In fact, there was a belief that the body is a sacred gift from one’s parents and should not be altered in any permanent way – which of course includes tattooing.

Fairy tattoos

Fairy tattoos are a fairly recent development and they represent a certain range of interests or way of thinking. A fairy tattoo design can be cute and rather precious, like something out of a children’s book, but fairies are not as innocent as they look.

Gesundhoot!

Reader roundup..(still catching up!)
First off, Trevor sent in the above, done by John Fitzgerald at Slave to the Needle in Seattle.

Jana sent in 'Lilith', above, done by Christoph at Blut&Eisen Tattoo, Berlin, Germany.

Harrison's was done by Harry at Las Calaveras Tattoo in Fullerton, CA

And the little owl above comes from Monika