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Traditional Tattoos and PiercingsI believe that tattoos originated after James Cooke first arrived on Tahiti. Tattooing was very popular in the South Pacific. Fletcher Christian and George Stewart of Mutiny on the Bounty fame both had stars tattooed on the left of their chests. Perhaps these were early Nautical Stars.

FAQ Farmers have offered these:

  • Sailors got their ears pierced because it helps improve eyesight (I think its an acupuncture site).
  • A black pearl earring for survivors of a sinking ship .
  • Golden earrings were used as a means of ensuring they were buried properly should they die at sea or in a foreign port.
  • In modern times a brass earring denoted a Survivor of a ship sinking.
  • One left ear piercing for crossing each of the Equator, Artic Circle, and Antarctic Circle.
  • Earrings were thought to keep spirits from entering through the ear, but that's not a purely sailor thing.
  • A sparrow for every 5000 thousand nautical miles traveled,.
  • A sailor would get a swallow tattoo for every 5000 miles he had sailed.
  • A swallow because it will always find its way home.
  • A rooster and pig on the ankles are to prevent a sailor from drowning.
  • The pig and the rooster are tattooed on either the calves or the top of the feet, to prevent a sailor from drowning,. These animals were originally carried on most ships in wooden crates. When a ship goes down these crates would float and then catch currents and wash ashore with the other debris from the ship, making the pigs and roosters often the only souls to survive a shipwreck.
  • A tattoo of a pig on the left knee and a rooster (cock) on the right foot signified "Pig on the knee, safety at sea. A cock on the right, never lose a fight."
  • Tattoos of pigs and chickens were to make sure they always had their ham and eggs so that they never go hungry.
  • A turtle standing on its back legs (shellback) for crossing the equator and being initiated into King Neptune�s Court.
  • A tattoo of King Neptune if you crossed the Equator.
  • Crossed anchors on the web between the thumb and index finger for a bosn�s mate.
  • Royal Navy tattoos of palm trees for the Mediterranean cruises in WWII.
  • Many US sailors have a palm tree or hula girl from Hawaii.
  • The words HOLD and FAST were tattooed on the knuckles to help hold line.
  • Hold Fast across the knuckles to keep them from falling overboard or dropping a line.
  • Anchor tattoo for sailing the Atlantic.
  • Full rigged ship for sailing around Cape Horn.
  • Dragon Tattoo for a sailor who had sailed into port in China
  • A Golden Dragon was for sailors who had crossed the International Date Line.
  • Rope around the wrist for being a dockhand.
  • Two stars to ensure always knowing the way.
  • The anchor usually noted that the sailor was in the merchant marine.
  • Guns or crossed cannon for military naval service.
  • Harpoons for the fishing fleet.
  • Crosses on the soles of one's feet to ward off hungry sharks.
  • A nautical star, or compass rose was to always find your way home.
  • A dagger through a rose signified a willingness to fight and kill even something as fragile as a rose.
  • Many sailors also got pornographic images so that they would always have them with them.

I have a very old book c.1910 where an old sailor be moans the end of the sailors tattoo, yea right. he expounds that. " on the forearm the ports you've visited. on the wrist 'bracelets' on the upper arm the girls name or initials. on the lower leg the initials of all the girls you've 'had'." The "MOM" tattoo became popular during WWII as well as the "death before dishonour" dagger piercing the skin. but that's with the USN in the Royal Navy, and presumably the Commonwealth navies,this is my info; full rigged ship (on the back very large) for rounding the horn (cape horn), The anchor (fouled or not) for service in the Atlantic. All remaining tattoos except since 1970 are in this discussion. Many 'modern' sailors have put tattoos of their specility or of the distinctive badge they had earned. like having crossed hammers with wings for aircraft carrier mechanics, or the divers helmet for a diver,etc. As for crossing the line. None of us Shellbacks want to repete this trial! You get a card. but some of us wisely have the longitude and date as well as ship on our upper leg. So if we ever get mistaken for a pollywog we can "show a leg" (naval term for 'get up out of bed!'.). 119deg 6min 54sec East USS SAMUEL GOMPERS 19 SEP 1991

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12y ago
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11y ago

Sailors in general follow old sea dog traditions of having their bodies tattooed for remembering loved ones, places they have visited and as religious icons.

Although tattooing is an ancient art, Captain Cook and his crew are credited with introducing the art to the civilized world after seeing the body art of Hawaiian and Maori natives emblazoned with many different images.

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16y ago

The answer is "pretty much whatever they wanted". The only tattoo I have heard of that was common to many old-time sailors was to have the letters H O L D F A S T tattooed on the backs of their hands -- one letter on each knuckle.

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Q: What were traditional nautical tattoos and piercings sailors got and why?
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What is the meaning of 2 nautical star tattoos on your chest?

The meaning of 2 nautical star tattoos on your chest can mean a number of things. There are no standard meanings for tattoos, it is up to the person getting tattooed. Often nautical stars are used as symbols of moving forward, or of being able to follow your path.


What does a nautical star tattoo on the inside of a leg symbolize?

The nautical star is a very old modern tattoo, going back at least a century or more. Back in the days of yore, before modern navigation, sailors would navigate in part by the stars in the night skies, in particular the North Star in the Northern Hemisphere, and various other constellations of stars in the night sky. In the Southern Hemisphere, sailors had to use different stars and the Southern Cross became quite well-known. Sailors would then tattoo nautical stars on them because they relied on the stars to take them home, and being superstitious, they hoped their star tattoos would get them home safely as well. Compass stars are also popular for this reason. The nautical stars were originally used by sailors to help guide their way as they sailed through the night. They relied upon the stars to protect them and bring them home safely. A lot of soldiers get nautical stars for the same reason...protection. It is a symbol of protection and guidance. It was a very popular tattoo among sailors. So a case could be made that the nautical star tattoo, or a tattoo of any star for that matter, would be a symbol of guidance. Now as time has passed the nautical stars represent the direction of one's life, for those of us who are not sailors but still need guidance. Some say that if the nautical star is pointed upwards they have a higher outlook on life and so on. The meaning of the Nautical star is to create your own path, but use the stars as a guide when you are lost or scared.


What does a purple nautical star symbolize?

The nautical star is a very old modern tattoo, going back at least a century or more. Back in the days of yore, before modern navigation, sailors would navigate in part by the stars in the night skies, in particular the North Star in the Northern Hemisphere, and various other constellations of stars in the night sky. In the Southern Hemisphere, sailors had to use different stars and the Southern Cross became quite well-known. Sailors would then tattoo nautical stars on them because they relied on the stars to take them home, and being superstitious, they hoped their star tattoos would get them home safely as well. Compass stars are also popular for this reason. The nautical stars were originally used by sailors to help guide their way as they sailed through the night. They relied upon the stars to protect them and bring them home safely. A lot of soldiers get nautical stars for the same reason...protection. It is a symbol of protection and guidance. It was a very popular tattoo among sailors. So a case could be made that the nautical star tattoo, or a tattoo of any star for that matter, would be a symbol of guidance. Now as time has passed the nautical stars represent the direction of one's life, for those of us who are not sailors but still need guidance. Some say that if the nautical star is pointed upwards they have a higher outlook on life and so on. The meaning of the Nautical star is to create your own path, but use the stars as a guide when you are lost or scared.


What is the symbolism of a nautical star tattoo?

I'm not sure myself what the neutical star means up until not to long ago, but I do have one on my forearm and I'm definetly not a lesbian. I got the tattoo just because it was something I loved to draw constantly and decided to make it permanent on my body. All stars: black, blue, nautical, etc. DO NOT MEAN THAT A PERSON IS GAY. If you wanted a "gay" tattoo... you would get a rainbow, an upside-down triangle, etc. Butterflies, roses, stars, or anything else does not stand for gay pride. Gay people already have a rainbow to represent them. They don't get to choose what else represents them. It's not fair to all the straight people who got a symbol of a black star (me) and was told later that it meant that I was gay. Stop making up stuff. Our tattoos represent something special to each of us.


Did the Mayan warriors have tattoos?

yes they had red and black tattoos.

Related questions

How many nautical miles equal a nautical star for sailors tattoos?

1000 miles per nautical star.


What does a purple and black nautical star mean?

Nautical stars are popular tattoos. The nautical star was originally a symbol for sailors but in present times, despite color, they do not have a meaning.


Do sparrow tattoos symbolize hope?

Historically, in the days of large sailing vessels, sailors would get a sparrow tattoo for every 50,000 nautical miles they traveled. They have never been known to symbolize hope but today they can symbolize anything.


Can you have piercings or tattoos as a radiologist tech?

you can have piercings and/or tattoos in most any job, but to be respected as a professional it is a good idea to remove your piercings and cover your tattoos while at work


What is the meaning of a beveled star tattoo?

The beveled star or "nautical star" is seen often in early American traditional tattoos. It was first made popular by sailors. The star was used to represent the north star and coincided with finding one's way home.


What are the most common designs for chest tattoos?

Chest tattoos can be as varied as their owners. The most popular designs are frequently nautical and used by sailors. Dragons and birds, especially eagles, also figure prominently.


Can you be a veterinarian with tattoos and piercings?

Yes


Does Alex Evans have any tattoos or piercings?

not sure about tattoos, but he does have snakebites.


What is the symbolism of a barn swallow?

Bluebirds and swallows are traditional nautical tattoos with a long history of use. They symbolise happiness and good fortune. The swallow was a tattoo a sailor got after traveling 5000 nautical miles.


What does Bradley Covington mean?

Piercings and Tattoos


Should piercings and tattoos inhibit a person's ability to get hired for a job?

They shouldn't but at many places they will. Not all piercing and tattoos will effect though, such as women with ear piercings or tattoos that are normally not visable


Can PF Chang's employees have piercings or tattoos?

Went to PF Changs in Indy today and had a waitress with both piercings and tattoos. I thought it was pretty cool they would hire somebody with visible tattoos. =]