Centuries ago, ancient people used tattoos to enact their hopes and desires, sometimes completing them as religious rituals, as offerings to their gods. Other times they were applied as rites of passage, believed to trigger the next stage of the life of the adorned. The symbols they used, often used today in Celtic tattoos and tribal tattoos, were believed to possess strong powers and capabilities. If you find yourself fascinated by lore or deeper meaning, you may wish to look into the meaning of the symbol with which you plan to mark your body. It is said that even certain runic symbols can “evoke” harmful events or attitudes. Whether or not you subscribe to that belief, it is often worthwhile to note that in the history of any particular symbol, it may have been afforded great power. It may be specifically interesting to note which symbols were associated with what sorts of events or attitudes.   Some symbols were meant to bring the wearer strength and fortitude, while others were designed to act as some form of punishment. Understanding the history of meaning of a particular symbol, and the culture that revered it, can give your body art depth of meaning.

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