Slavic Tattoos - Photos of Works By Pro Tattoo Artists

Slavic tattoos: origin and features

Old Church Slavonic tattoos are one of the most ancient. Their history began long before the founding of Kievan Rus, in the days of paganism with its inherent reverence for the forces of nature, worship of deities. Body images were considered, mainly, as amulets and significant symbols that provide protection from negativity, the choice of the right path in life. Some signs personified the memory of ancestors, special pictures of the runes were considered a sign of the enormous fortitude of their owner.

Christianity pushed the wearable symbolism into the background for a while. Pagan traditions and rituals were subject to eradication, so the modern idea of Slavic tattoos does not fully reflect their true essence. But the main message remains unchanged - tattoos are designed to reflect respect for ancestors, attract patronizing forces to their owner, and demonstrate the best sides of the personality.

Studying tattoos of Slavic photos, we can conclude that tattoos are applied both apparently and secretly. In the first case, the neck, hands and even the face are subject to decor. In the second, tattoos are stuffed on parts of the body that are hidden by clothing. Usually, the position of openness is held by people related to Slavic culture, but rarely delve into its origins. Secret tattoos are mainly chosen by those who are deeply familiar with Slavic traditions and strive to change their life direction with the help of semantic drawings, to strengthen the connection with their ancestors, to create a powerful protective field around themselves.

Popular Slavic tattoos

Modern tattoos in the Old Church Slavonic style have a number of characteristic features.

By the technique of execution, most of the pictures resemble Scythian and Celtic ornaments with a predominance of rhombuses, dots, commas, spirals, crosses. In popular tattoos, flower garlands, floral patterns, hearts are widely used.
Among the storylines are Gzhel painting, Khokhloma, episodes from the paintings of Russian artists.
Compositions are complemented with book ornament.
The main characters of body drawings are heroes of Russian fairy tales, folk epics, pagan deities. Images of forest animals are of particular importance. They reveal the characteristics of a person's character and his aspirations.

Slavic bear

This character of numerous Russian fairy tales is popularand in tattoo art. The bear in Slavic culture is positioned as the ruler of the forest, he is credited with a connection with the god of fertility Veles. Therefore, on the human body, it is associated with strength, absolute power, excellent health.

Slavic Warrior

As in any other culture, the image of a warrior personifies tremendous internal and external power, courage, unbending willpower, the ability to protect oneself and one's loved ones. In addition, a tattoo depicting an ancient warrior is a sign of respect for culture, respect for historical events. The thematic drawings look especially symbolic on men of athletic build, which enhances the presentation of the chosen image.

The nuances of interpretation depend on which angle is chosen for the warrior.

A kneeling tattoo symbolizes loyalty and honor, if a warrior also has a lowered head, this speaks of loss and great sorrow.
With a raised hand holding a sword or ax, the drawing personifies the inner triumph of one's achievements, encourages further deeds.
A warrior on horseback is a symbol of the tendency towards conquest, the achievement of absolute power in various spheres of life.

Slavic bracelet

Tattoos encircling the wrist or forearm are one of the most common options when choosing Old Church Slavonic symbols. The main elements of such patterns are patterns, ornaments, consisting of geometric shapes. Most of the pictures emphasize the close connection between man and the natural world, provide him with the support of higher powers, acting as a powerful amulet. Masters almost unanimously claim that closed ring images cover important points on the body, which explains the protective power of such amulets.

Men's tattoo bracelets demonstrate the power and strength of their owner, while women's tattoos emphasize the softness and tenderness of the fair sex. Deciduous, floral arrangements help to enhance the magic and femininity in the drawing.

Slavic wolf

Slavic wolf tattoos are interpreted ambiguously. The ancients treated this forest predator with caution, linking it with the afterlife. The wolf was the conduit for the transfer of souls after physical death. Today, the attitude to the thematic drawing is slightly different - the beast personifies courage, the desire for justice, butat the same time speaks of a person's ability to be cunning for their own benefit. Some drawings report that their owner prefers solitude (for example, a wolf howling at the moon).

Slavic runes

Old Slavonic tattoos in the form of ambiguous and symbolic runes are interpreted depending on what is hidden under incomprehensible signs. Unusual drawings contain words that define the main message.

Peace is a sign of striving for a quiet life.
Strength speaks of a confident upward movement in order to achieve a plan.
The rainbow emphasizes the search for the meaning of life, the path that will reveal the secrets of the universe.
The "Perun" rune is seen as a strong talisman, symbolizing the deity that protects the human soul from dark influences.

Wards

A separate group of talismans is made up of Slavic tattoos depicting energetically powerful signs that can be found in paintings with images of ancient warriors.

The Light personifies the patronage of higher powers, the true light that protects life on our planet. The amulet will be especially effective for people who strive to realize their dreams, who are able to clearly pursue their goals.
Valkyrie is considered a symbol of honor, justice, wisdom, nobility. In addition to creating a protective energy cocoon, it gives its owner the ability to calmly react to life circumstances, to find peace in everyday things.
Additional interpretation of a talisman tattoo - influence on thoughts, their ordering, pacification of inner anger.
Molvinets is a sign that influences the spoken sphere. Thanks to such a drawing, a person gains protection from negative judgments directed in his direction, bad wishes of other people. The special power of a tattoo lies in its ability to motivate for active movement, setting and achieving new goals.

The peculiarity of the interpretation of Slavic tattoos for men

Changing the message of a Slavic tattoo rarely depends on who it belongs to - a man or a woman. The fact is that drawings in this category are basically immediately divided into women and men, and therefore they are interpreted unambiguously. But some nuances are introduced by the location of the wearable decor.

On the shoulder, men's Slavic tattoos perform the function of a talisman, protecting the mindtheir owner from external negativity. If the drawing is displaced to the neck, its influence extends to consciousness, perception of the surrounding world.
Themed tattoos in the forearm area are a sign of a strong character, the ability to prioritize life.
Slavic symbolism on the wrist emphasizes the man's sensuality, outlines what exactly affects his state of mind.
Slavic-style sleeve tattoo symbolizes self-confidence, masculinity, demonstrates the ability to achieve goals.
The drawing on the chest is a powerful amulet for men whose profession is associated with risk, therefore, the images of deities, natural signs, and armor are in priority.
If a Slavic tattoo adorns the shoulder blade, there is a person's desire to balance his dark and light sides, to find a spiritual balance.
Slavic tattoos on a man's legs are a sign of finding the right path in life or the desire to strictly follow it, without straying off course. Drawings can be seen as guides for life in general.

Transcript for women

In Slavic culture, women were assigned the role of hearth keepers, bearers, who were able to properly educate the younger generation, to protect the home from evil thoughts and conversations. Therefore, the majority of Old Church Slavonic tattoos for the fair sex contribute to the disclosure of their feminine essence, strengthening the external attractiveness, strengthening the inner core. Correctly selected images also help develop intuition.

The following signs are considered the most effective amulets for a woman.

Ladinets.

Helps to resist witchcraft, maintain physical health, external beauty, become more feminine day by day. A significant bonus of a tattoo is getting rid of lovemongers. But it is important to remember that tattoos only work for those girls who see their purpose in creating and maintaining a family hearth.

Star of Lada.

The ancient female amulet also spreads influence on children, helps to easily endure pregnancy, childbirth. Especially relevant is a tattoo for a girl who recently got married.

Lunnitsa.

Underwear pattern enhances femininity, develops the qualities of a wife and mother. The additional meaning of the tattoo is protection against black magic,witchcraft.

Along with attracting prosperity, luck, health to a person's life, Slavic tattoos help not only to emphasize, but also to strengthen the best personal qualities, to mitigate existing shortcomings. Special ethnic images may lose their relevance over time, so do not rush to make a choice. Doubts about the correctness of the decision made will help the master to dispel, comparing the message inherent in the body drawing and the expectations from the tattoo.