Tribal Tattoo Designs and Meanings

Tribal tattoos are the most popular tattoo designs around today. Just look at the amount of searches in Yahoo for this type of design. Last month there were over 64,000 searches. Some say you need to increase that by 7 to 8 times to get the number of searches in Google, giving around 500,000 searches. That’s a lot of interest.

Why are tribal tattoo designs so popular?

Tribal tattoos mean different things to different people but their appeal cuts across all boundaries - the boundaries of time, race, creed, sex and age. They have been around for centuries. It is reported that tribal tattoos were found on the mummified remains of a Bronze Age man who died over 5,000 years ago. The tattoos were of mythical creatures.

Cultures from every corner of the globe have practiced the art of tattooing, including the North American Indians, Maori, Polynesians, Samoans, Africans, Egyptians, Hawaiians and the Tahitians to name a few.

The general practice of getting a tattoo is popular these days, as it allows people to express a personal freedom and also a uniqueness, that defines them as a person and helps them express who they are. The tribal tattoo in particular is popular because of the mystery behind this form of tattoo and because the tattoo links you with other wearers, giving you a sense of belonging.

This style of tattoo is becoming a popular favorite of women as well as men. It looks great on the lower back, and some women have the tribal tattoo design wrap around their hips. The shoulder is also popular, as the tattoo can be shown, if desired by wearing a tank top.

What are the meanings of Tribal Tattoos?
In ancient times, the tribal tattoo was used to mark the person being tattooed as a member of a tribe, and in some cases the position of that person in the tribe, such as the North American Indian. In some cultures, the actual process of getting a tattoo was performed at a ritual, for example when the person was coming of age.

Other cultures in Europe would get a tattoo of their family crest, to identify their origins. In some cultures, the location of the tattoo on the body is as important as the tattoo itself, as different locations had different meanings. These days, the location of the tattoo comes down to self expression more than anything else.

The designs were, and are still, commonly linear geometric motifs. The tribal tattoo is traditionally black in color, although this has changed in modern times. The pure black tattoos give a more striking appearance, due to the sharp lines and edging. When color is added the edges become less defined in appearance.

What ever sort of tattoo you want, the most important thing is to get something that has meaning to You. If you have decided to get a certain design, but can’t find out the exact meaning of the one you have picked, make sure that it has meaning to you. You can also combine a tribal tattoo with another tattoo design such as an angel, cross, star, butterfly or something else that gives it more meaning to you. That will make it more unique, and make you stand out from the crowd.

Good luck in your serach for your dream tat.

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Good luck in your search for your ultimate tattoo.
Graeme Wheeler


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