Wolf Tattoo Designs - The wolf is a powerful mythological and spiritual symbol in many cultures around the world, due to it's widespread distribution across North America, Europe and Asia. Modern dogs are descendants of Asian wolves and the relationships between man and wolves goes back at least forty thousand years.

Wolves were predatory competitors with early man and wolves symbolized ferocity, cunning, stealth, cruelty and even evil - but because of their close-knit pack behaviour wolves also represented loyalty, courage, fidelity and victory. The tendency of wolves to hunt at dusk and dawn and to communicate by howling at night in many cases caused wolves to be associated with the spirit or shadow world, shape-shifters and malevolent or evil spirits. They symbolized fear of the night, darkness, and even demonic possession. At the same tine men could not help but admire the skill and success of the wolf pack.

In Celtic myth, the sun is devoured by a wolf. In the Norse myths, the giant wolf Fenrir is central to the apocalyptic end of Asgard, the home of the Viking Gods, a symbol of chaos who swallows the sun at the end of the world. Chinese tradition also portrays the wolf as rapacious and a symbol of lechery. There are several myths of wolves in India, including one that Ghengis Khan was descended from one.

At the same time, in Norse legend the wolf is sacred to Odin, and to the God Apollo in Greece. The Romans venerated the wolf, because of the legend of the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, being suckled by a she-wolf after being abandoned. The Roman God of War, Mars held the wolf sacred and to spot one before a battle was an omen of victory.

In North America the wolf is often seen as a teacher figure, a shape-shifter who mentored Shamans and a dancer symbol. Among the Shoshone, the wolf was a creator figure.

In early Christianity, Christ's symbolization as the Good Shepherd, who protects his flock, the Faithful, from predation, made the Wolf a potent symbol of Satan.

See also: Animal Tattoo Index

Dragonfly Tattoos - The dragonfly, like the fairy and butterfly tattoo is an extremely popular tattoo design for women. The design can be a small sexy secret or a large tribute to the wild and free spirit that the dragonfly represents. The dragonfly is the power of light. The dragonfly inhabits two realms: air and water and passes the influence of both these elements to the wearer.

The image of the dragonfly sparks the creative power of the imagination. Living in an aura of fantasy, the dragonfly's fluttering wings inspire thoughts of fairies and butterflies; bubbles and snowflakes. They flit from flower to flower, from tree to tree; settling on dew-kissed leaves and grass. Within sight yet always out of reach, the dragonfly has buzzed itself into the tattoo culture. Dragonfly tattoo designs are landing everywhere -on arms, chests, hips and tailbones!

Now, instead of capturing these enchanting creatures in glass jars or nets, many people have decided to eternally capture them on containers of flesh. Blue, green, or violet; pink, silver or golden; the dragonfly has proven itself a deserving addition to the world of body art.

Dragonflies lend themselves to so many other thought, ideas and associations that its pretty much futile to limit the possibilities for a dragonfly tattoo design. Any color you like would be appropriate: silver, gold, emerald green, sky blue, grey, lavender, you name it. They can appear on ankles, thighs, backsides, lower backs, shoulders, armbands and breasts.

Additionally, dragonflies certainly aten't limited to women! In Native American astrology, there is a strong belief that each person has a totem animal spirit which serves as their guardians and guides through certain phases of life. Often, an individual would have many different totems throughout life, some for just a time, some for their entire lives. And one of these totem spirits was the spirit of the dragonfly. It would adopt men and women, young and old. The dragonfly spirit means you must consciously make an effort to express your hopes, dreams, needs and wishes.

The dragonfly spirit is the essence of the winds of change, the messages of wisdom and enlightenment; and the communication from the elemental world. Its medicine beckons you to seek out the parts of your habits which need changing. You can turn to the dragonfly to guide you through the mists of illusion to the pathway of transformation.

Is the dragonfly spirit beckoning to you?

See also: Insect Tattoo Index

Eagle Tattoos - Eagle tattoos are a typically male tattoo design that crosses over a significant number of tattoo genres, and the influence of the eagle in American tattooing cannot be underestimated. A significant number of military and patriotic service tattoos prominently feature eagles.

The eagle is a very ancient symbol, generally regarded as solar. For the Greeks and Persians the eagle was sacred to the Sun; with the Egyptians, under the name of Ah, to Horus, and the Kopts worshipped the eagle under the name of Ahom. It was regarded as the sacred emblem of Zeus by the Greeks, and as that of the highest god by the Druids.

For freedom lovers everywhere, the Eagle’s ability to fly to the tops of mountains and swoop silently into valleys makes it the unchallenged symbol of a free spirit. The influence of the Eagle in American tattooing cannot be over-estimated, especially within the military and patriotic service tattoos genres. From the most powerful god of the ancient Greek pantheon, to the USA government, the Eagle has everywhere been adopted as an emblem.

In myth and legend, the Eagle was the Sun God, symbolizing light and power, with fire and water as its elements. It was the symbol of spiritual power and courage, fearless in thunder and lightning, but when shown in imagery with the snake, it symbolized conflict.

As the lion is lord of the land, so the Eagle is supreme in the air. It’s one of the favourite symbols of leaders, warriors, and emperors, not only on earth but in the spiritual realms, as well. And little wonder, for the Eagle is the epitome of speed, light, alertness, and power. It represented all that was majestic and noble. Kings and emperors have long included it on their coat of arms as the symbol of supreme strength. But, there are monarchs and gods who may have conveniently overlooked one of the Eagle’s most unique traits -- it mates for life.

In Norse legend, the Eagle was the bird associated with the god, Odin, and represented wisdom and light. The Greeks and Persians consecrated the Eagle to the Sun. To the ancient Egyptians, the Eagle was the sacred bird known as ‘Ah’, and to the Copts as ‘Ahom’. For the Druids in Europe, the Eagle was the symbol of The Almighty watching from the highest realms. Aztec warriors drew strength from the most powerful bird in the heavens, while their emperor dressed himself in its feathers. In old Mexico, the Eagle was the god of vegetation.

In Native American culture, the eagle is the Thunderbird, and its feathers are believed to carry prayers to Father Sun. It is the woman who gives to her man an eagle feather as a symbol of security, pride, and friendship in their relationship.

The Eagle has a military history spanning thousands of years. As an emblem, it flew over battle grounds throughout Europe. Roman legions marched under the banner of the Silver Eagle with outstretched wings. In the 9th Century, the emperor Charlemagne made the double-headed Eagle his emblem, one head facing to the German Empire, the other facing to the Holy Roman Empire. Unity under Christian rule! The Eagle was the symbol of John the Evangelist, a metaphor for vigilance and alertness, and therefore adopted by the Crusaders as a Christian symbol of the victory of light over darkness. In more recent European wars, the Teutonic Eagle was fearful emblem of Nazi Germany.

See also: Bird Tattoo Index, Hawk, Falcon, Osprey

Cheetah Tattoo Designs – As an animal totem and a tattoo design, the cheetah symbolizes swiftness, insight and focus. Of all the big cats, the cheetah is the fastest, capable of reaching speeds of more than 100 km/h - 68 mph - in 3 seconds. This dazzling display of acceleration makes the cheetah the fastest land animal on the planet and helps account in part for its immense popularity. With its small head, narrow waist and long tail, the cheetah is built for speed. A deep chest accommodates a heart that accelerates rapidly when giving chase. Its success as a hunter depends on its speed and the ability to finish off its prey with one powerful bite to the throat. Devouring its kill before other predators arrive on the scene is essential for the cheetah, since the physical toll of the chase leaves it exhausted and vulnerable. Hauling its prey high into a tree – like its close cousin, the leopard – is beyond the cheetah’s ability. For these reasons, the cheetah is also among the shyest and most reclusive of the big cats.

African legend recounts how the tawny cheetah got the black markings known as ‘tear stains’, which appear to stream from its eyes. Believing that her cubs had been stolen by an unscrupulous hunter, the mother cheetah abandoned her kill to search for them. Meanwhile, the hunter stole her hard-earned kill. So long did the cheetah sob that tears made channels through the fur. Justice prevailed in the end, and the cubs were returned and the hunter punished. The cheetah’s ‘tear stains’ became a reminder that the sacred traditions of the hunt must prevail, making the cheetah a symbol of honour and respect.

Possessed of a relatively timid nature, cheetah cubs have long been trained as pets and hunters for their aristocratic owners. More than five thousand years ago, the Sumerians boasted this beautiful and elegant creature as a royal pet, and Genghis Khan was known for his many cheetah companions. Ancient Egyptians revered it as a goddess, while the Greek god, Dionysus, had the cheetah draw his chariot. Ethiopian royalty of a later era, displayed the cheetah as a status symbol.

Once common in Europe, North America and Asia, the cheetah now roams only in parts of Africa, and more rarely in remote areas of Iran, home of the Asiatic cheetah, whose history goes back to a time when the kings of ancient Persia trained the cheetah to hunt the gazelle. Until a few hundred years ago, so common was the cheetah in south and central Asia, that it was a popular creature in Moghul paintings.

Lacking a robust constitution – inbreeding has weakened its gene pool – the cheetah falls prey to stronger predators. As high as 90% of all cheetah cubs are killed by lions, leopards, and the wild dogs. Though hunted for its fabulous spotted coat, the cheetah’s survival is threatened more by climate change and loss of habitat. As a much revered and admired animal, authorities in Africa and Iran are making efforts to save the cheetah from extinction, including breeding the animal for the sole purpose of releasing them back into the wild. However, born to roam the open grasslands, the cheetah does not thrive in captivity.

See Also: Cat Tattoos, Lions, Tigers, Leopard Tattoos, Jaguars, Panthers, Animal Tattoos Index

Butterfly / Moth Tattoos - One of the most popular tattoo design choices for women, the Butterfly reveals the feminine influence in tattoo culture. Generally speaking, butterflies are an overwhelmingly female tattoo design. Because of the butterfly’s short life span, many ancient peoples saw it as emblematic of the impermanent. Its physical beauty and its fluttering from flower to flower seeking nectar have made it synonymous with the more unstable and superficial aspects of the human soul.

In Greek mythology, Psyche was represented in art with butterfly wings. It’s all about the airborne soul – and the caterpillar emerging from its cocoon, transformed from an earth-bound to an aerial entity, is the classic metaphor. To the Greeks, a human soul emerged each time a butterfly emerged from its cocoon. Diverse cultures looked upon the Butterfly as a symbol of transformation, regeneration and flight. Souls were carried by the Butterfly from earth to heaven, or in some cases were believed to be the souls themselves returning to earth.

Butterfly goddesses have emerged in places as far apart as Minoan Crete and Toltec Mexico. Some of these deities were believed to be the personification of certain butterflies, and were regarded as symbols of beauty, love, flowers, and the spirits of the dead. They were also looked upon as the patrons of women who died in childbirth and warriors who fell in battle. At the other end of the spectrum, one of the Butterfly deities in ancient Mexico was the goddess of war and human sacrifice.

So, the Butterfly is not entirely the exclusive domain of the feminine. The Roman Emperor, Augustus, took it as his personal symbol, and the warrior priests of the Mexican Popolucas peoples sported the Butterfly as a motif on their breastplates. Their Butterfly was also the symbol of fire.

In Japan, the Butterfly, ready to fly after its long spell in the cocoon and spreading its brand new wings, is a popular symbol for young girls. It represents emerging beauty and grace, with the added notice to regard change as joyful, not traumatic. Likewise, the Native American honours the Butterfly as an emblem of guidance in change. In China, it is still a popular symbol of marital bliss and conjugal harmony.

Delightful, magical and transformational, the Butterfly reminds its admirers of the mystery of nature and the richness of human imagination.

See also: Insect Tattoo Index, Tattoos for Girls Index

Parrot Tattoos - “Polly wants a cracker.” The phrase is synonymous with ‘parrot’, particularly one that sits on a pirate’s shoulder, as was made famous in Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic story, Treasure Island (1883). Long John Silver, the one-legged pirate, had his parrot, ‘Capt. Flint’, who may not have been the first parrot to be associated with the name ‘Polly’, but he certainly popularized it. And Polly certainly ensured that the parrot would become an iconic symbol of the pirate tradition.

As a legendary companion to man, the parrot suggests a kind of guardian. Their ability to ‘parrot’ speech makes them a symbol of communication. As a totem, they lend us psychic support to fly, look beautiful, and be a maestro of non-malicious mockery. Parrots are also said to symbolize courtship. The Hindu god of love, Kama, took a parrot as his symbol. The Hopi people of the American Southwest embrace a ‘parrot clan’ who saw the parrot as a symbol of the South, and of abundance.

Parrots are wide-spread in sub-tropical and tropical environments (helping to explain their exotic appeal), and are found in North and South America, Africa, Australia and across Asia. There are 372 species of parrots, ranging in size from a few inches to three feet in length. Along with jays, crows and magpies, parrots are among the most intelligent of all birds. African grey parrots have been used extensively to study the possibilities of inter-species communication. Perhaps the most famous parrot in modern history was an African Grey named, "Alex" who could count and had math skills that were considered highly advanced in animal intelligence and had a vocabulary of over one hundred 'vocal labels'.

Loud, brightly coloured, and defiant, the parrot doesn’t do much more than shriek, squawk, and look fantastic. Or so we think. In the wild, flocks of parrots may have highly developed social structures. In art, the parrot has long been employed to light up otherwise drab landscapes. Without much effort on its part, the parrot strikes us as exotic, intelligent, regal, oracular, stubborn and profane. And they make striking tattoo designs. Some of the more popular species featured in parrot tattoos have been the vividly colored Macaws, the spectacularly crested Cockatoos and Cockatiels, Parakeets, Lovebirds, Canaries and Budgies.

Since parrots utter only words they’ve heard, and repeat them without any understanding, the parrot’s intelligence is seen as ‘uncertain’, a trait that would be present in any parrot symbol. Consequently, a ‘parrot’ has come to mean a person who imitates words and actions without comprehending them. Another kind of ‘parrot’ is a gossip, a hapless spreader of rumours. That’s not to say Parrot People don’t benefit from this neurosis, since they are able to ignore their own problems by focusing on the lives of other people. Furthermore, all language (some would say, all thought) is second-hand, which, if true, would make us all parrots. Blessed is the person who realizes this and blissfully proceeds through life performing acts of parrotry and regurgitating the world’s vast and colourful lexicon of clichés.

Early Greeks and Romans employed the parrot symbol to refer to inferior people, along the lines of comic relief. Being called a ‘parrot’ was an insult. But the parrot attained almost divine status as a religious symbol during the Middle Ages. In depictions of Mary, mother of God, the parrot symbolized her virginal motherhood. It may sound outrageous in this day and age, but the fact is the parrot was looked upon in Europe as a miracle of nature due to its ability to mimic human speech. This talent was apparently put to good use in Rome, earning the parrot a job as the herald of emperors. “Hail Caesar!”

Parrots are also a symbol of the fragility of the environment and an early warning system that things may be amiss in the world. The expression, 'Canary in the Mineshaft', derives from the use of canaries in coal mines and mine shafts to warn of 'bad air', or noxious gases and fumes. The canaries had even less tolerance for poor air quality than did the miners. Coal miners took caged canaries down into the shafts as an early warning system, at the first hint of poor air quality the canaries would become distressed and the miners moved to higher and presumably safer ground. Of course, a caged bird was not exactly a willing volunteer to monitor air quality, and the expression has also come to mean someone whose safety may be compromised to further someone else's interests, usually financial.

‘Pissed as a parrot’ is an endearing term that comes to us from Queensland, Australia, where parrots occasionally enjoy a diet of fermented fruit. While the parrot symbol permeates much of Australian life, they haven’t gone as far as the citizens of the Commonwealth of Dominica, who have put the parrot on their national flag. A Sisserou Parrot stands on a twig encircled by ten lime-green stars. A symbol of flight toward greater heights and the fulfilment of aspirations, that’s the Dominican view of the parrot.

A final word on ‘Polly’ the parrot – it seems to have been derived from ‘Pol’, meaning ‘Paul’. English author, Ben Johnson, in his 1611 play Volpone, was the first to portray a parrot named Pol, which, at the time, was a variant of ‘Paul’. Since then, it became common practice to name parrots and macaws ‘Polly’.

A word of caution to would-be keepers of exotic birds – read up before you purchase one. Most kept birds die well before their time. The average life span of the larger parrots is 75 years, but due to their sometimes aggressive, noisy, biting behavior - all of which is perfectly natural - many of them die of neglect and abuse. The result has been the establishment of numerous parrot shelters in many urban centers. Even more troubling is that many parrots are protected species, and the public's appetite for exotic birds had led to serious declines in wild populations and the loss of many birds in illegal smuggling and bird-trafficking operations. Perhaps no other group of birds has been as exploited as have parrots, and a parrot tattoo is an homage to one of the most colourful characters in the avian world and certainly in literature.

See also: Bird Tattoo Index, Pirate Tattoos

Where does the time go?  Seems like it was just last week that we were in New York and North Carolina, steeped in tattoo history and surrounded by the buzz of ink machines.  But that was almost a month ago!

In the interim, The Vanishing Tattoo crew has been busy transferring over forty hours of the most amazing tattoo interview tape footage you could possibly imagine into a digital format we can edit and ultimately post online as part of our Online Tattoo Museum & Archive.  Lyle Tuttle, Chuck Eldridge, Jack Rudy, Shangai Kate, Brian Everett, Vyvn Lazonga and nearly two dozen other tattoo icons consented to be interviewed at length.  Some of the footage literally makes you gasp.

In other news, we're on the brink of launching a Facebook application, the       Tattoo Personality Quiz.  Look for that within the week.

And me?  Chugging away on another tattoo book, this one an examination of tattoo typography and text tattoos.  Alphabets, lettering, scripts and scrolls and all things pertinent to the inked word.  Deadline is May 15th and they tell your faithful scribe it should be for sale on a bookshelf near you sometime in September.  Perfect for your Christmas List!

Rooster Tattoo Designs - First to announce the dawn of a new day, the rooster is the universal symbol of the rising sun, and of renewal, resurrection and redemption. As the cockerel (or ‘cock’), it is also a common representative of the male element. Virile, defender of the flock against intruders, ambitious, curious, self reliant and courageous, the cock may waver however when it comes to making a commitment. Vigilance and courage in declaring the truth have been attributed to the rooster in legends around the world.

The Chinese zodiac heralds the rooster as a hard worker, and as shrewd and definite in decision making, often speaking his mind. Because of this, roosters tend to seem boastful. They are dreamers and flashy dressers who are eccentric and extravagant to a fault. Born under this sign, you should be happy as a restaurant owner, publicist, soldier or world traveler.

One of the earliest appearances of the rooster was as Abraxas, a god with the head of a rooster and body of a serpent, which appeared in both Greek and Egyptian mythologies. It was not only a symbol of the sun but of darkness as well, a primal paradox combined in one entity. Amulets and charms with the Abraxas emblem were worn as protection. A Christian story would have us believe that apparitions disappear at cock crow, a superstition referred to by Shakespeare in Hamlet in the lines, “The morning cock grew loud / and at the sound it (the ghost) shrank in haste away.”

Religious metaphors abound concerning the rooster’s clarion call dispelling evil spirits and warning the faithless. The ‘weather cock’ seen on many Christian church steeples became associated with vigilance, faith, and papal authority. The rooster was associated with Jesus’ disciple, Peter. When Peter swore his fidelity, he was told that at the sound of the cock’s crow (three times), he would have already betrayed his Lord. After the death of Christ, it was Peter, ironically, who became the head of the Church.

In the Far East, the rooster image was painted on doorways as protection. In Hindu symbology, the red rooster heralds wisdom, light and spiritual unfolding, while Japanese myth recounts a tale of the cockerel calling the sun-goddess from her cave, where her light was hidden from humans.

In Celtic myth, the rooster’s resounding call warned the gods of danger, and as messenger of the underworld it lead the souls of the dead to the next world. In some ancient jurisdictions, eating the bird was forbidden, although in many of the old European and Celtic traditions, the rooster was offered as sacrifice during harvest rites, where the blood of the rooster returned to the earth.

The rooster is still the unofficial emblem of France, and its historic links go back to ancient Gaul. Through its close relationship with the mother goddess, it became an emblem of fertility and birth. Its further association with courage, vigilance, bravery in battle and lust for life, qualified the rooster as a worthy motif for the French Revolutionaries, and appeared on the flag of the first Republic in the late 1700s. The Latin word Gallus means both ‘Gaul’ and ‘cockerel’, ensuring the rooster’s adoption as a fitting emblem for the French. The Gallic cockerel appears on government seals, and was the symbol used by the French Resistance in WWII as a reminder of the resilience of the French people, bolstering their commitment to resist.

Kenyan legend describes a Great Red Rooster who lived in the clouds, causing lightning when it ruffled its wings, and thunder when it crowed. Before the advent of clocks, the rooster was kept in the royal court of ancient Korea as the ‘royal timekeeper’. For the Babylonians the cockerel was a solar symbol and was placed on the altar prior to making offerings to the Sun God.

Some aspects of the rooster character have earned it infamy in folklore and literature. Boastful, arrogant, ambitious, and proudly crowing about its own status are less positive aspects of this impressive bird. But its red comb and wattles against white feathers have made it a favourite subject for artists. In China, these red features were symbols of autumn and sunset.

See also: Bird Tattoo Index

Peacock Tattoos - Peacocks, and the colourful and flamboyant feathers (see Feathers) prominently featured in the extravagant tail display of the male Peacock have often been featured in tattoos, particularly those with an Asian or Far Eastern theme. We have all heard the expression, “Proud as a Peacock.” The expression was first used by Chaucer in the 14th century and still works today. Pride, vanity and strutting arrogance, those are the qualities we immediately attribute to the handsome Peacock. But its astonishing beauty -- especially its magnificent plumage -- has gained it a symbolic presence in temples, royal gardens, and even at the gates of Paradise, according to one Muslim legend.

The Peacock is known as ‘the bird of 100 eyes’, due to the patterning in its tail feathers. The ‘eyes’ became a favourite mythic metaphor as all-seeing witnesses to hidden transgressions. The concept found its way into religious belief as the symbol of beatific vision. In the ancient myths of Egypt, Greece, and Rome, the Peacock feather was a symbol of the ‘evil eye’, and even today the Peacock feather is viewed with suspicion and kept out of the house in some parts of Europe.

The first Peacock (the male of the Peafowl species) strutted about in the jungles of Southwest Asia and found its way eventually to the four corners of the world. It is the symbol of India, and thousands of Peacocks can still be found in Indian temples, perhaps because they are said to be great snake-slayers. Reputed to be immune to snake bites, its venom-rich blood was believed to chase away evil spirits. The god, Krishna wore peacock feathers in his hair and legend tells of the sons of Shiva riding on the back of the Peacock. In early Christian times, Peacock flesh was believed to be incorruptible. This, together with its eyes symbolizing the all-seeing Church, elevated the Peacock to sacred emblem status, representing resurrection, immortality, and the pure soul.

Uncountable stories attest to its popularity with divinity, royalty, and the military. The Greek goddess Hera (a.k.a. Juno) is said to have plucked the hundred eyes from the giant Argus while he slept, then placed them in the tails of her temple Peacocks. Sufi legend describes the creation of all living creatures from droplets of sweat from the body of the Peacock. In China, the Peacock represented divinity, rank, power and beauty. It was also reckoned that a woman could get pregnant if a Peacock glanced at her!

Throughout the world, the beauty of the Peacock has adorned the heads of royalty from Lord Krishna to Queen Marie Antoinette. It became a favourite bird on the coats of arms of some of the great houses of Europe. During the days of chivalry, to ‘swear on the peacock’ was considered a solemn oath.

A peacock was often used as a sign for a tailor in the 18th Century. Generally it was someone who dealt in custom fine clothing.

Justifiably proud as the Peacock is of its prismatic beauty, an accidental glance at its own extremely ugly feet sends this angel of a bird shrieking like a devil!

See also: Bird Tattoo Index

Dolphin Tattoos - The popularity of the dolphin tattoo design can most definitely be traced back to a long standing empathy and understanding between our two species. Humans and dolphins have co-existed for thousands of years, and the more we continue to learn about these creatures, the more we come to believe that the dolphin carries a divine spark that separates them from other animals. Early man was fascinated by the obvious intelligence of dolphins and their ability to herd schools of fish to make it easier to prey upon them.

To the ancient Greeks and Romans, dolphins were revered among sailors as symbols of divine protection and guidance, aided no doubt by the dolphin's habit of surfing the bow wave of ships at sea. It was thought that dolphins would assist lost sailors back to their home ports and rescue sailors that fell overboard and take them back to shore. In Greece, killing a dolphin was comparable to killing a human and was a crime punishable by death. For dolphins were seen to be messengers for the Gods, and were closely associated with Poseidon's daughters, the Nereids, the goddess of love Aphrodite, the heroine Galatea and the music-loving sun god, Apollo. It was said that the constellation Delphinus, the dolphin, was put in the sky by Poseidon in gratitude to the dolphins for finding his bride Amphitrite.

In Sumeria, dolphins were connected to Ea-Oannes, the deity of the sea, and sometimes with the goddess Isis in Egypt. The Celts associated the dolphin with the healing power of water, and the image of people riding dolphins is seen on some Celtic artifacts. Some Australian Aboriginal tribes claim to be direct descendants of dolphins, who are sometimes regarded as guardian spirits.

In addition to inhabiting the sea, a number of species of dolphin make their homes in large fresh water rivers all over the world. In the rainforests of the Amazon Basin, the native Indians tell stories about the the Amazon river dolphin, also called the Boto. Stories abound of the river dolphins taking human form and wooing young girls. They are often as regarded as unlucky, as they may tempt unknowing men and women into the water, where they are taken to Encante, the underwater world of no return. Similar tales of shape shifting are told of the elusive Baiji, or Yangtze river dolphin.

The dolphin is also an important symbol in European heraldry, and is often featured on Heraldic coats-of-arms, and represents diligence, salvation, charity and love.

It has long been believed that dolphins serve as our connection between the world of men, and the underwater world of the sea. This interconnectedness between the dolphin and humanity has led to great understandings and innovations, like dolphin interaction and therapy. Swimming with dolphins has helped children to cope with handicaps, overcome learning challenges and soothed the suffering of individuals with severe depression or mental anguish. It is a sought after experience for people with various problems and from different walks of life.

Our affinity with this amazing creature has spawned the tribute of dolphin tattoo designs, living breathing art that testifies to the character, traits and symbolism of the dolphin, and in some way attempts to absorb this creature’s qualities into our own bodies.

See also: Marine Life Tattoo Index, Nautical Tattoos, Killer Whales, Whale Tattoos