#STAR1117 TRADITIONAL SAILOR TATTOO ICONOGRAPHY AND THEIR MEANINGS : a brief thread

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swallows are associated with the idea of returning to one's home (ie. famously the migrational patterns of swallows yearly to san juan capistrano, ca). like the birds it's believed that if a sailor dies at sea, his soul will be carried home to heaven on the wings of a swallow

the nautical star represents the north star, historically what sailors would use to navigate. it is meant to represent staying on course and considered good luck to always help a sailor come home safely. a dark-and-light star like this is used to represent a compass rose

+ the nautical star is also symbolic of forging one's own path, as the coloration is emblematic of the compass rose found specifically on old navigational charts

the fully-rigged ship is a symbol of (traditionally) successful passage around cape horn, where the atlantic and pacific oceans meet and notoriously stormy waters. it also can represent both the call of adventure and the call of home

roses, predictably, represent PASSION, DESIRE, and love, but often the color of a rose tattoo denotes its secondary meaning. some examples are below:

red: true love
yellow: friendship, devotion
blue: fantasy and impossibility
black: death, mourning
white: innocence, youth

the crescent moon itself generally can represent a time of transition, but the phase of the crescent moon determines the trajectory of said transition. if the crescent moon is in the waxing phase (towards a full moon), it can represent creativity, manifestation, and growth+

but if it is in the WANING phase (towards the new moon, as pictured above) it can represent a time of letting go and reflection

the sun tattoo can have MANY meanings, but most commonly we see it used to represent truth and light, a guiding force especially during dark and pivotal times in our tumultuous lives. a sun tattoo can represent the clarity brought to oneself after a time of hardship+

ie. "the sun will always rise", or it can also give hope for a better tomorrow, ie. "it's always darkest before the dawn"

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the butterfly tattoo represents transformation, youth, and freedom. like the process of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, this symbolizes going through a period of inner growth and difficulty and emerging a better version of yourself. it can also be a reminder to live carefree