Everyone will recognize that small brown and buff colored bird, the sparrow but did you know what they represent? Sparrows mean luck, innocence and eternity and this little bird can travel large distances but always manages to find its way home. It is free to take flight as it pleases and enjoys the company of other sparrows, particularly as it flits from this place to that. Those individuals who opt for sparrow tattoos generally wear then on the hand, wrist or arm – although they can really go any place you like – and like the real thing these are typically created as small designs.
These tattoos are also associated with sailors who traditionally got a sparrow tattooed for every 5,000 nautical miles they had traveled every time they traveled this distance. The origin of another bird tattoo is also linked to sailors after the crew of a ship called The Swallow had a mutiny. These mutineers had a swallow tattooed on their chests in order to recognize each other. Any sailor, who crossed the Equator, earned the right to sport “blue birds of happiness” tattoos on either side of their chest which was also deemed to keep the wearer safe from drowning.
The sparrow symbolized a safe return home while a swallow spotted at sea, meant that land was very close and therefore the sailors believed swallows could bring them home. If a sailor drowned and did not make it safely home, it was believed that all these birds would alight upon his soul from the murky waters of the ocean bed and carry it off up to heaven. Renewal and new beginnings are also symbolized by swallows while a single swallow means looking to the future if it is facing forward.
There has been a revival in sparrow tattoos in recent years thanks to the movie Pirates of the Caribbean featuring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. Many of his fans sport sparrow tattoos as a result of this. Tattoos of this design have also been very popular among prison inmates ironically perhaps because it symbolizes freedom. For this reason, many convicts have a sparrow tattoo as they are approaching their release date.
While it is not a common perception, some people consider the common sparrow as a bird of love because sparrows mate for life and this appeals to couples who believe they have found true love. Many therefore choose this symbol as a display of their commitment, loyalty and love. Tattoo artists often tattoo a sparrow design on their bodies to protect them from evil spirits. They believe this will draws away any evil away they may have attracted while tattooing anti-religious symbols and images like the demon.
The sparrow has also been mentioned in the bible and has several religious meanings derived from this context. It is believed that sparrow tattoos should be done in pairs while the Egyptians associate sparrows and swallows with the stars. They believe that they caught the souls of the deceased after their passing. In modern times, the sparrow is popular with Rockers who typically have this design tattooed on either side of their neck or chest, although women may opt for the abdomen. Whether these bird tattoos remain popular in years to come remains to be seen but it will be interesting to see if this trend continues or fades into insignificance.
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