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Thursday, October 29, 2009

The Sparrow Tattoo - More Popular Than You Might Think

In many cultures Sparrows signify luck, innocence and eternity. In many parts of the world, the humble Sparrow is a very revered creature indeed signifying luck, innocence and eternity. They are also known for their reliance and devotion , migrating thousands of miles each year but always returning home.


You might not believe it but despite its rather dull image the sparrow tattoo is actually a very popular design. Their rising popularity among women in recent years has seen the Sparrow tattoo literally take off in popularity!

The design has also become immensely popular in recent years thanks to the success of Johnny Depps' character of Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean. Because it symbolises freedom, the Sparrow Tattoo also has a darker connotation, being popular among serving prisoners.

One little known fact is that the common sparrow is also known as the bird of love! When a sparrow chooses a mate, its for life. A Sparrow tattoo therefore symbolises true love and is very popular with couples to show their commitment and love and loyalty to each other.

The ancient Egyptians also understood the significance of these small birds for they associated them with the stars and believed that they caught the souls of the departed. The mystical power of the humble sparrow is further recognised by tattoo artists who have often been known to sport a sparrow tattoo as a way of drawing the evil spirits they believe surround them as they produce demons and anti religious designs for their clients.

Sparrows are , of course, mentioned in the bible and have some religious meanings.

So, despite being a rather unfashionable little bird, the Sparrow has found a popular following among tattoo lovers. There seems to be no end to its popularity as new generations come to understand its significance.

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Sparrow Tattoo

What does a Sparrow Tattoo mean?


Sparrows can mean: eternity, luck, and innocence. Sparrows can travel great distances, but always return home.

The sparrow is an inconspicuous small bird, buff and brown, it flits from here to there in the company of other sparrows, free to take flight as and when it pleases.

These Sparrow Tattoos are typically worn somewhere on the hands, wrists or arms, but they can really be placed pretty much anywhere on the body. Most sparrow tattoos are quite small, like the birds themselves.

Sailors traditionally would get a sparrow tattoo for every 5,000 nautical miles that they have traveled. You would get one after traveling 5,000 miles and the second after traveling another 5,000. The origins of the swallow tattoo go back to a ship named The Swallow; the crew of the ship had a mutiny. To recognize each other, the 7 mutineers who started the mutiny had a swallow tattooed on their chest.

Sailors earn the right to the wear "blue birds of happiness" tattoos on either side of their chest after having crossed the Equator. Also it has been said that they keep the sailors from drowning. The Sparrow has been said to symbolize a safe return home. When a sailor saw a swallow at sea, he knew he was very near land, and the swallows would lead them home. It is said that if the sailor does not survive his travels, and ends up drowning, the birds alight upon his soul and carry him from the murky waters, up to heaven.

Swallows can also symbolize renewal and fresh beginnings. With one swallow facing forward looking to the future.

Johnny Depps' character of Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean has made the Sparrow Tattoo very popular and a lot of fans have had a tattoo as a tribute. Sparrow tattoos also have their place in prison culture, where the Sparrow Tattoo symbolizes freedom. The sparrow symbolize freedom, some convicts choose sparrows as a statement about their own freedom, especially when they are getting near their release from prison.

You may not perceive the common sparrow as the bird of love, but a lot of people do. When sparrows mate, they mate for life. A sparrow is a symbol of finding your true love and can be very popular with couples to show their commitment and love and loyalty to each other.

Some tattoo artists would get sparrow tattoos somewhere on their body to draw the evil away from their bodies because they tattoo demons and anti-religious designs every day. They believe it will protect them from the evil spirits.

Sparrows are mentioned in the bible and have some religious meanings. Sparrow Tattoo should always be tattooed in pairs.

The Egyptians associate sparrows/swallows with the stars and believed that they caught the souls of those who have passed.

Lately Sparrow tattoo seem to be popular with those into Rockabilly and are tattooed on either side of the neck for guys or across the chest or abdomen for women.

It will be interesting to see if these Sparrow tattoos are still popular in years to come or just fade away.

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I Want A Sparrow Tattoo Were Should I Get It?

Anna asked:

okay i want a plain black and white sparrow tattoo and i have no clue were to put it? i eaither want it on my hip,my wrist, or i dont know.any suggestions?


Reply:


Depends on what you like. I personally chose to get my tattoos where they're not normally visible. One thing to consider is what profession you ultimately want to get into, because in certain job settings having a tattoo looks bad, and some jobs flat out won't allow you to have visible tattoos. On the other hand, I have friends and coworkers (at a restaurant) who have visible tattoos on their arms or wrist.

And that aside, what do you feel suits your personality best? Another reason I shy away from visible tattoos is simply because I'm too classic pretty-preppy to pull it off.

Have you considered the back of one of your shoulders? I think that'd be a cute place for a bird tattoo, plus it'd only show when you wear tank tops.

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