Navy tattoos - symbols and amulets

Tattoos, applied by the military, are endowed with a profound meaning. They reflect the type of troops, rank and other differences of the military. Each type of troops has its own symbols for the native drawings. But the Navy's tattoos are very diverse.

A bit of history

Sailors became the ancestors of applying tattoos in the Old World. When Cook and his sailors arrived in Polynesia in the second half of the 18th century, he was intrigued by the painted skin of the aborigines. But the sailors from his team took over the experience of local craftsmen and began to do tattoos themselves. Each sign applied to the body of a sailor had its secret meaning and was an amulet far from its native shores.

Military Tattoo

The tradition of marking the bodies of the military was introduced under Peter I, who proposed thus marking different kinds of troops and catching deserters. Also, tattoos were special signs, according to which it was possible to identify the killed soldier.

Navy tattoos became fashionable in the 70s of the XX century. The sailors in the current figure displayed their belonging to a particular vessel, a division of the fleet. The picture depicted a blood group and other important information. This was done so that when you were injured you could quickly provide first aid. And in the case of the death of a sailor, to identify the corpse, even if the body was thrown to the far shore.

Sailors are generally considered superstitious people, and Navy tattoos are a guard against hurricane winds, powerful storms, ship flooding and other misfortunes that lie in the sea.

Symbols of the Navy

An indispensable attribute of a sailor's tattoo is the anchor. Often in the figure there is a helm and stars, a globe. The tradition of applying stars has taken root long ago. In the sea, seafarers have only one landmark - the stars, which helped them find their way home. In the northern hemisphere, the main landmark is the North Star, and in the southern hemisphere - the Southern Cross. Their symbolic image and the sailors applied.

In the tattoo of the Navy, sharks and other marine predators are often used. An additional element is the Andreevsky flag - a symbol of the Russian navy.

More recently, when recruits were admitted to the naval cell, they selected boys who did not have a single sign on their body. And already during the service symbolic signs were marked, marking the passage of the first year of service, the crossing of the seas and oceans, the passage of the equator and other memorable milestones in the long service of the sailor.

Different units of the Navy have their own unique symbolism. So, the traditional tattoo of the Navy (Northern Fleet) is a polar bear, put on the right shoulder. In the drawings you can find the abbreviation of the fleet: the DKBF - the twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet, the KFB - the Red Banner Northern Fleet, the Black Sea Fleet Black Sea Fleet, or the Pacific Fleet Pacific Fleet.

Often, a serviceman in the navy can find a tattoo on the edge of the palm with the inscription "For the Navy!" This tattoo will be visible when the sailor tilts a pile of vodka in his mouth.

In each country, servicemen of the Navy have their traditional tattoos. But they have a lot in common.

Until quite recently the Navy tattoo, photos of which can be seen in the article, were the distinguishing marks of sailors. Today, when tattoos have become fashionable, marine symbols have gained incredible popularity. And the signs of anchors, sailboats, roses of the winds or the Polar star can be found in people far from the fleet.