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Log inSwallow (Sparrow, Bluebird) tattoos
Swallow (Sparrow, Bluebird) tattoos
victoria_biker on Sun Aug 10, 2008 3:50 am
I love the idea of the Swallow as I sign of Freedom and the Safe Return Home. I would like to get a matched pair on my upper chest / collar bone area.
The origins of the swallow tattoo go back to a ship named The Swallow. At one time, the crew of the ship had a mutiny. In order to recognize each other, the 7 mutineers who started the mutiny had a swallow tattooed on their chest. (1)
After that, the swallow tattoo was the tattoo design for sailors to show off their sailing experience. Every five thousand nautical miles (5750 miles or 9250 km), a sailor traditionally has a swallow tattooed onto his chest:
- Traveling over sea in the early years was a dangerous and difficult undertaking, so a sailor with one or two swallow tattoos was considered very experienced and therefore trustworthy and valuable.
- Legend has it 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, into Heaven's grasp...certainly a haunting image.
- After sailing all 7 seas, after sailing around the horns (the bottom of Africa and South America), or 1 swallow tattoo after crossing the equator and another one when coming back. (1)
Often a swallow is the "first sign that land is near". To a sailor the swallow means a "safe return home". Swallows are known to travel far distances out to sea during migration and would rest on boats close to shore which gave early mariners the first sign that land was close by. Swallows also return home every year, no matter where they are, a source of comfort for sailors far from home. (2)
In some cultures, the first swallow of spring is a very fortunate sight because it is an omen of financial success. To ensure wealth through the year, one must rub two coins together while watching the bird. (1)
Swallow tattoos are also associated with loyalty and fidelity - swallows choose a mate for life, and will only nest with that bird and no other. (2)
A tattoo of 2 swallows is a symbol for freedom. It is a popular tattoo design amongst people who are just released from prison. (1)
(1) http://www.freetattoodesigns.org/swallow-tattoo.html
(2) http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tattoos_designs_symbols_swallow.htm
The origins of the swallow tattoo go back to a ship named The Swallow. At one time, the crew of the ship had a mutiny. In order to recognize each other, the 7 mutineers who started the mutiny had a swallow tattooed on their chest. (1)
After that, the swallow tattoo was the tattoo design for sailors to show off their sailing experience. Every five thousand nautical miles (5750 miles or 9250 km), a sailor traditionally has a swallow tattooed onto his chest:
- Traveling over sea in the early years was a dangerous and difficult undertaking, so a sailor with one or two swallow tattoos was considered very experienced and therefore trustworthy and valuable.
- Legend has it 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, into Heaven's grasp...certainly a haunting image.
- After sailing all 7 seas, after sailing around the horns (the bottom of Africa and South America), or 1 swallow tattoo after crossing the equator and another one when coming back. (1)
Often a swallow is the "first sign that land is near". To a sailor the swallow means a "safe return home". Swallows are known to travel far distances out to sea during migration and would rest on boats close to shore which gave early mariners the first sign that land was close by. Swallows also return home every year, no matter where they are, a source of comfort for sailors far from home. (2)
In some cultures, the first swallow of spring is a very fortunate sight because it is an omen of financial success. To ensure wealth through the year, one must rub two coins together while watching the bird. (1)
Swallow tattoos are also associated with loyalty and fidelity - swallows choose a mate for life, and will only nest with that bird and no other. (2)
A tattoo of 2 swallows is a symbol for freedom. It is a popular tattoo design amongst people who are just released from prison. (1)
(1) http://www.freetattoodesigns.org/swallow-tattoo.html
(2) http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tattoos_designs_symbols_swallow.htm
victoria_biker- Admin
- Number of posts: 9
Registration date: 2008-08-08 
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