tattoos have long been part of maritime culture. Sailor tattoos may be simple or elaborate and represent both their determination to return home safely and as a way of remembering their time at sea.
Animals as Symbols
Animals are common nautical tattoo symbols. Sparrows represent travel distance, swallows symbolize homecoming birds, roosters and pigs represent virility, and sharks represent defiance against becoming food.
Pinup Girls
Sailors were superstitious and often got tattoos to ward off bad luck. Tattoos featuring hula girls, pinup girls, and mermaids were popular among sailors, representing loved ones at home and the allure of faraway lands.
Good Luck Charms
Sailors wore tattoos as protective amulets to enhance their chances of survival. Sea turtles symbolized crossing the equator, fully-rigged ships represented passage around Cape Horn, and stars helped sailors find their way home.
Skunk
Sailors wore tattoos as good luck charms or protective amulets. Sea turtles symbolized crossing the equator, fully-rigged ships represented passage around Cape Horn, and stars guided their way home. Roosters and pigs were believed to float if a shipwreck occurred.
Lighthouse
Lighthouses symbolize hope and guide sailors back home. Lighthouse tattoos are commonly placed near the ankle or wrist.
Anchor Symbolism
Anchor tattoos represent strength, security, and personal significance. They can be customized with shading techniques or creative combinations of artwork.
Representative Tattoos
Sailors often get tattoos related to their occupation and maritime lifestyle. Examples include rope tattoos for deckhands, “hold fast” across knuckles for sailing ship crewmembers, crosses or cannons for military service members, and harpoons for fishermen.
Swallow
Swallow tattoos symbolize navigation homeward. Sailors earn one for every 5,000 nautical miles traveled, serving as a reminder of home in challenging times.
Other Nautical Symbols
Other common nautical tattoos include stars to navigate open waters accurately, sparrows for specific distances traveled, swallows as homing birds, roosters for masculinity, and pigs as protection against drowning.
