By the 19th century, about 90% of all United States Navy sailors had tattoos. Old school tattooing style, american traditional color tattoos with bold black. Sailor tattoos differentiated from these terrestrial tattoos as sailors continued to design new mariner motifs of their own, creating a distinct tattooing culture among sailors. Consequently, the tattoos became associated with the criminals, prostitutes, and gangs who dwelt in these same districts. Tattoos also grew in popularity in the port districts frequented by those sailors. Swallow: Initially obtained when first setting to sea, now traditionally received for each increment of 5,000 miles sailed. Rope around the wrist / "Hold Fast" across the knuckles: Represents a sailor who is or was a deckhand. Hula Girl: Reflects being stationed in Hawaii or sailing there. Harpoon: Refers to a member of the fishing fleet. Golden Dragon: Means a sailor has crossed the International Date Line. Fully rigged Ship: Represents traversal of Cape Horn. Dragon: Refers to a sailor that has served in Asia. Anchor: Refers to a sailor who has achieved the rank of Boatswain or Chief, though historically indicated sailing across the Atlantic. Over time, tattoos became a graphic language and a way for sailors to record important events or experiences such travels, achievements, naval hierarchy, rank, status, membership, and/or any other significant event in life.Įxamples of popular symbols in the sailor tattooing are: However, if they later decided to join the navy they had to have a tattoo artist "dress" the woman. With the declaration many young men took advantage of the easy way out of serving, thus creating a boom in tattoos of nude women. Using simple techniques and tools, tattoo artists in the early days worked on board ships using anything available as pigments, even gunpowder and urine.Ī focus on the regulation of tattoos did not begin until the early 1900s when the United States government declared that anyone with an "obscene" tattoo would not be allowed in the navy. After that the connection between sailors and tattoos steadily increased. Turtle Tattoos:Ī hardback turtle was a symbol of passing the equator.Tattoos with sailors can be traced back as far as the 1700s when Captain James Cook came across the Maori of the South Pacific, and his crew decided to get tattoos as "souvenirs" of their visit. A swallow will always find their way home, and it was thought that the swallow would bring luck and mean that the sailor would return safely home. One of the most well-known of nautical tattoos, a swallow represented every 5000 miles a sailor voyaged. Ship Tattoos:Ī ship with full sails marked a sailor’s voyage around Cape Horn, which is where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet. ![]() Showing bravery and a willingness to fight, a dagger through a rose symbolised a fearlessness of conflict or confrontation. Rope Tattoos:Ī rope around the wrist meant that the sailor had served as a deckhand. Often sailors wouldn’t see females for months so a pin up served as a reminder of love left at home, or a sense of female company on an excursion. Pig & Rooster Tattoos:īoth pigs and roosters were kept on board in crates that floated, so a pig on one foot and a rooster on the other was thought to protect a sailor from drowning. Nautical Star Tattoos:Ī nautical star was a popular emblem sailors would get to be sure they would be guided home safely. Having a mermaid tattoo protected against the dangers of the sea. It was thought that the beautiful lure of a siren’s voice would misguide a ship, and cause it to wreck, or pull a sailor into the sea to find her where he would drown. The call of the siren was a superstition. It was also known to represent home and shelter. Lighthouse Tattoos:Ī symbol of guiding light and protection against a ship crashing against the rocks. ![]() Hula Girl Tattoos:Ī symbol that signified that a sailor had been to Hawaii. Written out on the knuckles across both hands, “Hold fast” was for deckhands and was a signal that a sailor would never let go of the rope no matter what. Harpoon Tattoos:Ī harpoon was a mark of having belonged to a fishing or whaling fleet. It was also chosen by sailors that enjoyedĪ dragon symbolized that a sailor had been to China. ![]() Dice Tattoos:Ī set of dice was often chosen by a sailor to show that he was a fearless risk taker. Two cannons overlapping served to demonstrate that a sailor had served in the naval military. Placed on the hand between the thumb and forefinger, two overlapping anchors signaled a sailor was a boatswain, which is an officer of the ship responsible for the crew and equipment. ![]() Compass Tattoos:Ī compass was so a sailor would always be able to find his way home. An anchor placed anywhere on the body represented that a sailor had completed a voyage that crossed the Atlantic.
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