Swallow tattoos They have played a special symbolic role among various cultures around the world for thousands of years. Today, these tattoos remain immensely popular and are often considered simply for the fashion aspect and beauty of swallow art. However, some of these designs also have a deeper personal meaning.
Meaning of swallow tattoos
Given that swallow tattoos has been an incredibly popular choice for fans of body art, naturally begs the question: What swallow tattoo meaning could apply to you?
Historical swallow tattoo designs date back hundreds of years and begin with the plight of the sailors. When a crew sailed a great distance in the ocean, typically 5,000 nautical miles or across the equator, the voyages were often fraught with hardship, disease, famine, and most commonly death. One sign that their travels were coming to an end was the appearance of swallows. Because these birds never traveled very far out to sea, their sighting meant that land was close and the long journey was coming to an end. This fact led many sailors to start adopting swallow tattoo designs as a symbol of hope and the successful end of a long voyage. As a continuation of this story, having a tattoo representing 2 swallows indicated that he was going to undertake a very long journey (10,000 nautical miles or more) and a swallow tattoo with a dagger in his heart symbolized a monument to a friend lost at sea. .
A different anecdote describes swallow tattoos as a symbol of a mutiny that occurred on a ship called ‘La Golondrina’. Each of the 7 sailors described in this story had a swallow bird design on their chest to show their support for the mutiny.
With the passage of time, swallow tattoos have come to symbolize different meanings for different people. Some see the art of the swallow as a symbol of success or triumph. Others decide to get swallow tattoos to signify homecoming after a long departure, like a soldier returning from war. Another popular meaning is freedom, as some people released from prison have chosen this bird tattoo as a sign of their return to society. However, another interpretation is for eternal love and loyalty, related to the fact that swallows mate for life.
Swallow Tattoos – Learn About Early Swallow Art And Culture
When it comes to artistic representations of swallow tattoos, it is interesting to note that for centuries humans endowed these birds with symbolism of both good and bad luck. Therefore, by knowing the origins of the swallow art history, you can be sure that the exact symbolic meaning you want to convey is the one being tattooed. Here are some examples of swallow art representations from various cultures:
- In ancient times, before swallow tattoos gained prominence, the birds themselves were associated with the almighty gods, as well as the souls of the dead. For example, according to Greek and Roman mythology, deities were able to change their shape into a swallow. On the other hand, grieving mothers considered the bird to be sacred, as it was thought to carry the soul of their deceased children. Consequently, killing a swallow was considered unfortunate.
- Similarly, an ancient Egyptian work of art depicts a swallow entering the underworld; however, Egyptian poetry took a step towards a more positive tone, describing the swallow as the first sign of a new love.
- The expression “a swallow does not make a summer” is derived from an Aesop fable and is intended as advice to be cautious and deliberate.
- During the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, the swallow was considered to be the symbol of faith and steadfastness.
- In classical Chinese paintings, the swallow represented happiness and the arrival of spring, and was often depicted as part of the blossoming peach branch. Additional renderings show the bird as: daring, risk-seeking and a symbol of change for the better in the future.
- Despite a mostly favorable characterization of swallows as representing a lifelong partnership, in Japan, swallows symbolized infidelity and were described in legends as flying through the house while carrying news of disgust and bad luck from the gods.
In general, the meaning that swallow art conveys is that of a specific symbolism of the region, which you may want to consider further for your own swallow tattoos.
Swallow Tattoos – Know the Species
There are literally thousands of species of birds, so what makes the swallow a popular bird for inking? In particular, to make sure you get the right tattoo, it helps to know that the swallow is sometimes mistaken for the blue bird. The eastern bluebird and barn swallow are similar in coloration, with bright accents of orange and blue, converging in both yellow and red. Therefore, you and your tattoo artist must know the correct colors and patterns necessary to inking an accurate and attractive swallow tattoo. Also, the simple fact that the swallow species makes its appearance more prominently during spring can be applied to swallow tattoos as a representation of fertility, hope and happiness.
These are the main reasons to get this particular body art as it seems that each new generation and culture finds its own symbolic meaning from the traditional, simple yet beautiful, swallow tattoos.
